INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Pan-African Tsetse and Trypanosomiasis Eradication Campaign

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the Pan-African Tsetse and Trypanosomiasis Eradication Campaign.

Clare Short: DFID recognises that Trypanosomiasis is a major constraint to human health and to the livelihoods of poor livestock keepers throughout many parts of Africa. We have made considerable investments (over £37 million) to develop methods to control the disease in livestock and we support the World Health Organisation in its efforts to control sleeping sickness in humans.
	The long-term goal of the Pan-African Tsetse and Trypanosomiasis Eradication (PATTEC) is to eradicate tsetse fly from the continent. It is a complex and ambitious programme that would require many billions of dollars to implement, and is founded on as yet unproven scientific and economic theory.
	Our analysis—shared also by the European Commission—is that it will not be possible to eradicate tsetse flies from Africa. The aims of the campaign are laudable, but we do not believe that they are achievable.
	Our strategy is to promote methods for controlling the tsetse fly and preventative and curative methods of treatment that can be readily implemented by poor people themselves. We have programmes of support with the Inter-African Bureau of Animal Resources of the African Union, and with the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, to promote the establishment of sustainable animal health services that provide poor people with the means to control tsetse fly and the disease it carries.
	Where the political will for control exists, and where there are clear social benefits, a regional approach to tsetse control may be justified. Such large scale programmes would however be best handled through multilateral channels such as the EC, and not by bilateral agencies such as DFID.

Burkina Faso

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the situation in Burkina Faso regarding the incidence of HIV cases; and what assistance has been provided by her Department in each of the last five years.

Clare Short: Burkina Faso has the second highest HIV/AIDS infection rate in west Africa, the UN estimating the adult prevalence rate as being 6.4 per cent. at the end of 1999. The Burkinabe Government are strongly committed to tackling HIV/AIDS through a comprehensive national strategy, and are working in partnership with neighbouring countries to contain the epidemic. Last month Burkina Faso hosted the 12th International Conference on AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases in Africa.
	DFID does not have a substantive aid programme to Burkina Faso, and has not provided direct support for any projects linked to HIV/AIDS over the last five years. However, we fund such work indirectly through our contributions to international agencies—UNAIDS supports regional work to strengthen the response to HIV/AIDS throughout Africa, and the World bank's $500 million Multi-Country HIV/AIDS Program for the Africa Region (MAP) includes $22 million for Burkina Faso to help the Government expand access, particularly for vulnerable groups, to prevention, care and treatment.

Burkina Faso

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much development aid was provided to Burkina Faso by the UK in each of the last five years.

Clare Short: DFID does not have a development programme in Burkina Faso. Small-scale funding has been available from the small grants scheme and the civil society challenge fund (and its forerunner). Details of DFID grants in aid and in kind are as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 1996–97 204,000 
			 1997–98 156,000 
			 1998–99 305,000 
			 1999–2000 267,000 
			 2000–01 234,000 
		
	
	In addition the UK provided debt relief of £430,000 in 1997–98.
	The EC maintains a substantial development assistance programme to Burkina Faso. The calculated estimate of the proportion attributable to UK contributions over the years 1995–99 (the last year for which we have data) is as follows:
	
		
			  £ million 
		
		
			 1995 7.4 
			 1996 4.5 
			 1997 5.7 
			 1998 7.0 
			 1999 6.3

Departmental Transport

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what her estimate is of the cost of (a) ministerial cars and drivers and (b) taxis for her Department in each of the last four years.

Clare Short: The estimated cost of (a) ministerial cars and drivers and (b) taxis for my Department in each of the last four financial years is:
	
		£ 
		
			  (a) (b) 
		
		
			 1997–98 257,247 71,185 
			 1998–99 290,081 55,144 
			 1999–2000 270,654 57,118 
			 2000–01 212,114 78,308

Zimbabwe

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will make a statement on the situation relating to the distribution of food aid in Zimbabwe; and on what development assistance from the United Kingdom is being spent.

Clare Short: The prospect of food shortages in Zimbabwe has been clear for a long time. NGOs have planned ahead, including purchasing food, and have been operating supplementary feeding programmes since September 2001. DFID has committed £4 million for food and logistics support for programmes run by NGOs. We are monitoring these activities carefully and working with the NGOs and other donors to help ensure their success. We are satisfied that, at present, they are still able to work effectively.
	The World Food Programme is now beginning food aid operations in Zimbabwe as a part of the UN Humanitarian Assistance and Recovery Programme. WFP will transport food within Zimbabwe, and will also work through NGOs to deliver food at the community level. DFID has pledged a further £3.5 million to WFP for food and logistics support.

Export Credits Guarantee Department

Peter Lilley: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what was the value of trade credits guaranteed by the ECGD for sales of military equipment to highly indebted poor countries in each year since 1983.

Patricia Hewitt: I have been asked to reply.
	The value of ECGD cover for defence business in each of these years for countries currently classified as HIPCs (Heavily Indebted Poor Countries) is as follows:
	
		£ million 
		
			 Year Value of ECGD cover 
		
		
			 1984–85 102.8 
			 1987–88 20.1 
			 1988–89 49.2 
			  
			 Total for all years since 1983 171.2 
		
	
	For years not listed the total value of ECGD cover was £0.
	Not included in the table is cover provided by ECGD's short-term operation which was privatised in 1991. More generally ECGD's records of business supported prior to 1 April 1987 are no longer comprehensive.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

Mr. John Stonborough

Peter Bottomley: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, when and for what purpose Mr. John Stonborough was engaged by the House of Commons Commission; what the selection process was; and when the need for advice on media relations was identified.

Archy Kirkwood: Mr. Stonborough was engaged with effect from 20 December 2001 to provide the House of Commons Commission with advice on media relations generally, and on long-term information strategy. The commission chose him at its meeting on 18 December 2001. The need for a corporate approach to media matters was identified in the Braithwaite Review of Management and Services (HC745) published in July 1999. This led to the appointment of a communications adviser in the Office of the Clerk in 2000. Mr. Stonborough's engagement represents a further step in that direction.

TRANSPORT, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND THE REGIONS

Abandoned Housing

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will rank local authorities in England by (a) number and (b) percentage of (i) public and (ii) private housing stock which have been abandoned.

Sally Keeble: Data on levels of abandonment are not held by my Department. Abandonment arises where a property owner simply walks away or 'abandons' a property. The owner's intentions as well as their actions are therefore relevant and it is difficult to define objectively. However, we do have data reporting low demand, which I have placed in the Libraries of the House.

Homebuy Scheme

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many people in the constituency of Buckingham have received interest free equity loans under the Homebuy scheme; and what the total amount of funding granted is.

Sally Keeble: The number of people in Aylesbury Vale that have received interest free equity loans under the Homebuy scheme is four.
	1999–2000: 1
	2000–01: 1
	2001–02: 2.
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 1999–2000 24,938 
			 2000–01 24,640 
			 2001–02 61,320 
			 Total amount of funding granted 110,898 
		
	
	Note:
	The Buckingham constituency is only part of Aylesbury Vale local authority area (albeit the main part) and that part of Aylesbury constituency is also covered within this area. Thus, any loans within the Aylesbury constituency may also be included in the figures.
	Source:
	Notting Hill Housing Association

Starter Home Initiative

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many people in the Buckingham constituency have benefited from the Starter Home initiative for key public workers; and what is (a) the average amount and (b) the total amount granted.

Sally Keeble: The Starter Home initiative allocations announced on 6 September 2001 included a scheme to help 272 key workers across Buckinghamshire. The grant that has been allocated to the scheme over the three years 2001–02 to 2003–04 is £6.988 million, averaging £25,199 grant, and £493 administration costs, per key worker. Separate allocations were made to other schemes to help 20 key workers in Aylesbury Vale and 70 in Milton Keynes.
	It is proposed that a further 40 key workers are helped in Buckinghamshire under the bidding arrangements for the Starter Home initiative equity loan scheme announced on 16 January 2002, together with a further 10 in Milton Keynes.
	Information on the number of key workers who have purchased homes under the Starter Home initiative scheme during this financial year will be available towards the end of April 2002.

Right to Buy

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many homes in the Buckingham constituency were bought under (a) right to buy and (b) right to acquire in each year since their inception; and what the total revenue is generated under each scheme.

Sally Keeble: The information is as follows:
	(a) Information on Right to Buy sales reported by Aylesbury Vale district council since October 1980 is in the following table. The figures include a small number of RTB shared ownership sales and sales under the Rent to Mortgage scheme in the local authority's area, which includes part of the Aylesbury constituency.
	
		
			  Number Selling price (£000) 
		
		
			 1980–81 17 n/a 
			 1981–82 337 (1)3,780 
			 1982–83 404 4,771 
			 1983–84 427 5,772 
			 1984–85 464 7,069 
			 1985–86 395 6,190 
			 1986–87 455 8,415 
			 1987–88 460 10,028 
			 1988–89 491 11,791 
			 1989–90 247 7,048 
			 1990–91 179 4,987 
			 1991–92 159 3,868 
			 1992–93 151 3,191 
			 1993–94 226 5,047 
			 1994–95 176 4,378 
			 1995–96 121 2,917 
			 1996–97 166 4,273 
			 1997–98 216 6,066 
			 1998–99 159 4,972 
			 1999–2000 204 6,831 
			 2000–01 227 9,260 
		
	
	(1) Estimate
	Notes:
	1. The total selling price of properties sold under the Right to Buy scheme since April 1981 was £120.65 million. Comparable information for 1980–81 was not collected.
	2. The Buckingham constituency is only part of Aylesbury Vale local authority area (albeit the main part) and that part of Aylesbury constituency is also covered within this area. Thus, any houses within the Aylesbury constituency may also be included in the figures.
	Source:
	DTLR P1 (B) quarterly housing activity returns
	(b) No homes have been bought in Buckinghamshire under right to acquire.

Homeless Households

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many homeless households in the constituency of Buckingham have been resident in bed-and-breakfast accommodation in each year since 1997; and what percentage of them claimed social security benefits in each year.

Sally Keeble: Information reported by Aylesbury Vale district council on the number of households resident in bed-and-breakfast hotels under statutory homelessness provision at the end of March in each year since 1997 is shown in the table. This relates to households within the local authority's area, which includes part of the Aylesbury constituency. The number of these households claiming, or in receipt of, social security benefits is not collected centrally.
	
		Homeless households resident in bed-and-breakfast accommodation(2) as at 31 March
		
			  Aylesbury Vale DC 
		
		
			 1997 6 
			 1998 11 
			 1999 8 
			 2000 12 
			 2001 5 
		
	
	(2) Includes households accommodated pending completion of inquiries by the local authority
	Source:
	DETR P1(E) housing return (quarterly)

Estates Renewal Challenge Fund

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many projects in the Buckingham constituency have received funding from the Estates Renewal Challenge Fund; and if he will list the beneficiaries.

Sally Keeble: Buckinghamshire received no funding from the Estates Renewal Challenge Fund.

Council Houses

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many council houses have been empty in the Buckingham constituency in each year since 1997.

Sally Keeble: The number of local authority owned dwellings reported as being vacant in each year since 1997 is as follows:
	
		Local authority owned dwellings in Aylesbury Vale district council area as on 1 April:
		
			  Vacant stock 
		
		
			 2001 105 
			 2000 131 
			 1999 142 
			 1998 125 
			 1997 118 
		
	
	A level of vacancy is a usual feature of housing management, reflecting turnover and movement within the stock. There is likely to be some variation in the proportion of dwellings that are vacant in a local authority from one date to another during the year.
	Note that the Buckingham constituency is only part of Aylesbury Vale local authority area (albeit the main part) and that part of Aylesbury constituency is also covered within this area. Thus, any houses within the Aylesbury constituency may also be included in the figures in the table.

Council Houses

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many council houses there are in the Buckingham constituency; and how many of these are owned by the local authority.

Sally Keeble: The number of 'council' houses in the Aylesbury Vale local authority area at March 2001 is 9,621, of which 8,626 are owned by the local authority.
	Note that the Buckingham constituency is only part of Aylesbury Vale local authority area (albeit the main part) and that part of Aylesbury constituency is also covered within this area. Thus, any houses within the Aylesbury constituency may also be included in the figures provided.
	Source:
	Aylesbury Vale Housing Revenue Account Business Plan 2001–31

Traveller Sites

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many (a) local authority and (b) private traveller sites there were in the Buckingham constituency in each year since 1997.

Sally Keeble: The number of local authority traveller sites that were in Aylesbury Vale local authority area in each year since 1997 are shown in the table:
	
		
			 January Number of local authority sites 
		
		
			 2001 (3)2 
			 2000 (3)2 
			 1999 2 
			 1998 (4)— 
			 1997 (4)— 
		
	
	(3) Of which one closed February 1999
	(4) Data for the number of local authority sites in January 1998 and January 1997 is not held within the Department headquarters and is not accessible within the given time scale
	Source:
	Data from the annual DTLR gipsy return GS2
	Figures for the number of private sites are not collected centrally and thus are not available.
	Note that the Buckingham constituency is only part of Aylesbury Vale local authority area (although the main part) and that part of Aylesbury constituency is also covered within this area. Thus, any gypsy sites within Aylesbury constituency may also be included in the figures provided.

Traveller Sites

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many traveller caravans and families were on (a) authorised and (b) unauthorised sites in the Buckingham constituency in each year since 1997.

Sally Keeble: Figures for the number of caravans and families on authorised and unauthorised sites in the Aylesbury Vale local authority area for each year since 1997 are reported in the table.
	
		
			  Caravans Families 
		
		
			 Total   
			 July 2001 39 32 
			 January 2001 28 26 
			 July 2000 30 20 
			 January 2000 35 31 
			 July 1999 33 27 
			 January 1999 35 25 
			 July 1998 40 30 
			 January 1998 32 25 
			 July 1997 48 39 
			 January 1997 37 26 
			
			 Unauthorised encampments   
			 July 2001 19 14 
			 January 2001 8 8 
			 July 2000 13 4 
			 January 2000 16 15 
			 July 1999 19 16 
			 January 1999 9 3 
			 July 1998 9 7 
			 January 1998 2 1 
			 July 1997 16 (5)15 
			 January 1997 8 4 
			
			 Authorised sites:   
			 Council   
			 July 2001 5 5 
			 January 2001 5 5 
			 July 2000 4 4 
			 January 2000 6 4 
			 July 1999 3 0 
			 January 1999 15 11 
			 July 1998 20 12 
			 January 1998 19 13 
			 July 1997 21 13 
			 January 1997 18 11 
			
			 Private   
			 July 2001 15 13 
			 January 2001 15 13 
			 July 2000 13 12 
			 January 2000 13 12 
			 July 1999 11 11 
			 January 1999 11 11 
			 July 1998 11 (5)11 
			 January 1998 11 (5)11 
			 July 1997 11 (5)11 
			 January 1997 11 (5)11 
		
	
	(5) Estimated figure
	Note:
	The Buckingham constituency is only part of Aylesbury Vale local authority area (although the main part) and that part of Aylesbury constituency is also covered within this area. Thus, any caravans or families on gypsy sites within Aylesbury constituency may also be included in the figures provided.
	Source:
	Counts data are from the bi-annual DTLR Gypsy return GS1

Coastal Erosion

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assessment he has made of the effects of sand dredging on coastal erosion.

Sally Keeble: holding answer 17 January 2002
	Careful consideration is given to all of the environmental implications of marine minerals dredging proposals that are submitted to the Secretary of State. Each proposal is subject to environmental impact assessment that includes a coastal impact study prepared by HR Wallingford. The proposed dredging will be allowed only if the Secretary of State is satisfied that there will be no unacceptable coastal impacts.

A14

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when, upon the Highways Agency completing its preparatory work on the major A14 improvements, included in the preferred plan of the Cambridge to Huntingdon multi- modal study, the scheme will entered into the DTLR's targeted programme of improvements.

John Spellar: I have asked the Highways Agency to carry out preparatory work on the major A14 improvements included in the preferred plan of the Cambridge to Huntingdon multi-modal study with a view to an early entry to the targeted programme of improvements. This work by the Highways Agency began this month with the aim of finishing it within six months, after which a decision will be made on entry to the TPI. Subsequently, public consultation on the route would be expected within 12 months.

A14

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions whether, in the event of approval of the final plans for the proposed major A14 improvements arising from the Cambridge to Huntingdon multi-modal study, it is the Government's intention to utilise the resources, provided for implementing decisions arising from multi-modal studies in the Government's 10-year transport plan, to effect the A14 improvements.

John Spellar: I can confirm that in the event of approval of the final plans for the proposed A14 improvements, the scheme will be funded from the resources made available under the 10-Year Plan for Transport.

Landscaping Industry

John Maples: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what recent research he has commissioned into the health and safety record of the landscaping industry; and if he will publish this research.

Nick Raynsford: No recent research has been commissioned by the Health and Safety Executive into the health and safety record of the landscaping industry.

Construction Industry

John Maples: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what new health and safety measures are planned for the construction industry, with particular regard to those businesses working within the land-based sector.

Nick Raynsford: The Government have established the Strategic Forum for Construction to bring about industry consensus on future strategy and policy and has asked the chairman, Sir John Egan, to tackle the industry's health and safety performance as a key priority for action. The Health and Safety Commission has also initiated a Construction Priority Programme to focus its resources on the industry and the Health and Safety Executive is planning to publish a discussion document in the spring to ask the industry's views on a wide range of issues that affect health and safety.
	The Constructors' Liaison Group, the umbrella body for the British Association of Landscape Industries, committed itself to adopting targets for certificated competence in health and safety of the work force, encouraging members to support the Construction Skills Certification Scheme and similar schemes.

Genetically Modified Organisms

Ann Coffey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when the public register holding information on genetically modified organisms will be reopened.

Alan Whitehead: The public register holding information on the contained use of genetically modified organisms will be reopened on or around 11 February and will contain all information except for that excluded in the interests of national security.
	Under the Genetically Modified Organisms (Contained Use) Regulations 2000 the Competent Authority—the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in England, the Scottish Ministers and HSE in Scotland—is required to maintain a public register, and is firmly committed to a policy of openness and transparency. The register contains information on all notified premises and activities.
	Following the activities of 11 September, HSE, on behalf of the Competent Authority, took the decision to temporarily withhold public access to the register because of the security risk.
	Yesterday I signed the Genetically Modified Organisms (Contained Use) (Amendment) Regulations 2002 which will allow the Secretary of State to exclude information from the register in the interests of national security.
	A meeting of the Technical Sub-Committee of the Advisory Committee on Genetic Modification and invited experts will consider the list of pathogens already compiled for schedule 5 of the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 and whether any additional genetically modified pathogens should be excluded from the register.
	HSE acting on behalf of, and with the agreement of, the other members of the Competent Authority, will then review and sift the entries on the register and will reopen the register on or around 11 February. In the meantime HSE has arranged to make the information available to enquirers on a case-by-case basis.
	Following the reopening of the register a system of regular review will be put in place to consider those items excluded from the register, with the aim of keeping to a minimum information which has to be excluded in the interests of national security.

Commuter Traffic

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assessment his Department has made of the environmental benefits of using financial incentives to encourage commuter traffic to shift from using cars to motorcycles; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Boateng: I have been asked to reply.
	The Government believe there are some environmental benefits associated with commuting by motorcycle rather than car. These are outlined in the interim report published by the Advisory Group on Motorcycling in April last year. A copy is available in the House Library.
	The Government are also currently undertaking a consultation exercise asking for views on how VED for motorcycles can better reflect environmental impacts. The closing date for responses is 8 February.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Crown Prosecution Service

Anne McIntosh: To ask the Solicitor-General what assessment she has made of HM CPS inspectorate's report on inspection of the CPS in North Yorkshire; and if she will make a statement.

Harriet Harman: The HMCPSI report on North Yorkshire was published on 4 December 2001. The Attorney-General and I have considered the report and are pleased to note the positive picture that it presents.
	The report identifies clear improvements since the last inspection of North Yorkshire in 1998. Inspectors found that the area had a very good sense of corporate identity supported by good communication, with an experienced, stable and committed staff and strong leadership. Good systems are in placed for monitoring and reporting on casework performance. The quality of the lawyers' decision-making is sound and cases are progressed well with on-going reviews. Some aspects of casework still require improvement but work is in hand to bring about the necessary improvements. The report commented positively on the quality of management of the area, standards of advocacy, relationships with other criminal justice agencies and the involvement of staff in community and specialist groups across the county.
	Plans have already been agreed to tackle those areas highlighted in the report where further improvements are necessary and action will be taken to ensure even better performance in the future.

Crown Prosecution Service

Bob Spink: To ask the Solicitor-General what action she takes to prevent the use of inappropriate lesser charges by the Crown Prosecution Service.

Harriet Harman: When considering any allegation, Crown Prosecutors are guided by statutory provisions and the Code for Crown Prosecutors. It is the duty of Crown Prosecutors to make sure that the right person is prosecuted for the right offence. In doing so, they must always act in the interests of justice and not solely for the purpose of obtaining a conviction.
	The code further advises that Crown Prosecutors should select charges which reflect the seriousness of the offending, give the court adequate sentencing powers and enable the case to be presented in a clear and simple way. This means that Crown Prosecutors may not always continue with the most serious charge where there is a choice.
	There are two stages in the decision to prosecute. The first stage is the evidential test. If the case does not pass the evidential test, it must not go ahead. If the case does meet the evidential test, Crown Prosecutors must decide if a prosecution is needed in the public interest.
	In addition to statutory provisions and the Code for Crown Prosecutors, the Crown Prosecution Service, Crown Prosecutors are guided by charging standards, nationally agreed with the police for a range of offences, including offences of violence. The charging standards for assaults were designed to ensure consistency in the charging and prosecuting of offences involving violence.
	CPS Essex has moved to a Criminal Justice Unit and Trial Unit structure. This move, together with the Narey reforms have meant that prosecutors are involved at a far earlier stage of the process and are able to provide advice.

Crown Prosecution Service

Bob Spink: To ask the Solicitor-General how many cases, by category of offence, have been discontinued in the Essex Crown Prosecution Service in the last year for which records are available.

Harriet Harman: The Crown Prosecution Service does not record offences discontinued or dropped by offence category. However, in the year October 2000 to September 2001, CPS Essex finalised 27,942 defendant cases, in the magistrates and Crown courts, out of which cases against 3,163 defendants were discontinued. This represents 11.3 per cent. of the total casework, against a national average for discontinue of 13.1 per cent.

Crown Prosecution Service

Bob Spink: To ask the Solicitor-General what the target staffing level is of the Crown Prosecution Service in Essex; and what the actual level is.

Harriet Harman: The staffing level for the Essex area of the Crown Prosecution Service on 1 April last year was 106.2 posts, comprising 37.6 prosecutor posts, and 68.6 administrative posts. The Government have made substantial extra resources available to the Crown Prosecution Service, a 23 per cent. increase in real terms, which has enabled it to recruit significant numbers of extra staff.
	Currently the Essex area has 115 staff in post, comprising 42 prosecutors and 73 administrative staff. This level of staffing meets the area's current needs.

DEFENCE

Air-to-Air Missile

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the Advanced Short-Range Air-to-Air Missile to enter service; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: The Advanced Short-Range Air-to-Air Missile (ASRAAM) will enter service with the Royal Air Force later this month. The delivery of the first batch of missiles marks the successful agreement between the Ministry of Defence and the missile manufacturer MBDA. By working constructively together, we have agreed a clear and robust route map to achieve the full operational capability required of the missile. Tornado F3 will be the first of our aircraft to be fitted with ASRAAM. The missile will also be one of Eurofighter's principal weapons. ASRAAM will provide a major advance in our short-range air-to-air combat capability.

Conflict Prevention Fund

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his policy is on disbursement of the UK Conflict Prevention Fund.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 11 January 2002
	Policy on the disbursement of the pooled budgets for conflict prevention is determined jointly by the Ministry of Defence, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Department for International Development, working together with the Cabinet Office and the Treasury.
	The aim of the pooled budgets is to reduce the number of people whose lives are affected by violent conflict and the potential sources of future conflict. Strategies to achieve this are planned and reviewed through two sub-committees of the Cabinet Office Defence and Overseas Policy Committee, one for sub-Saharan Africa, the other for the rest of the world.
	The strategy for sub-Saharan Africa includes, for example, assisting with building indigenous peacekeeping capacity, as well as conflict resolution and security sector reform in Sierra Leone. Strategies for the rest of the world include regional strategies in the Balkans, central and eastern Europe, South Asia and the middle east, and functional strategies like assisting UN peacekeeping reform and controlling small arms and light weapons.
	The budgets also contribute to the additional costs of the UK's support to peacekeeping and peace-enforcement operations. In 200102 these have included commitments in Sierra Leone, Macedonia, Bosnia, Kosovo, and the Iraqi no-fly zones. Conflict prevention priorities and strategies are reviewed annually.

RAF Bases

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of flying hours were lost at (a) Lyneham and (b) Brize Norton in each of the last five years on account of (i) ice, (ii) fog and (iii) wind.

Adam Ingram: Flying hours are not generally lost due to bad weather, as postponed flights will usually take place on a subsequent occasion. However weather conditions at RAF stations are assessed on an approximately hourly basis. Table 1 shows the percentage of occasions where weather conditions were assessed as 'red', ie the most severe conditions in terms of visibility and cloud cover. Table 2 shows the percentage of occasions when gusts of over 30 knots were registered. Not all flights are necessarily postponed in these conditions.
	
		Table 1
		
			  RAF Brize Norton RAF Lyneham 
		
		
			 1997 3.96 4.71 
			 1998 1.72 2.52 
			 1999 1.36 2.29 
			 2000 1.46 2.32 
			 2001 2.34 3.01 
			 Average 2.17 2.97 
		
	
	
		Table 2
		
			  RAF Brize Norton RAF Lyneham 
		
		
			 1997 3.05 3.75 
			 1998 2.07 3.60 
			 1999 2.22 3.79 
			 2000 2.27 4.02 
			 2001 0.84 1.92 
			 Average 2.09 3.41

RAF Bases

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will estimate how many aircraft movements take place on an annual basis at (a) RAF Lyneham and (b) RAF Brize Norton; and how many of them were (i) in daylight and (ii) at night.

Adam Ingram: The number of aircraft movements undertaken at RAF Lyneham was approximately 36,000 during 2001 and at RAF Brize Norton 33,000. About 9 per cent. of these movements were undertaken at night.

Wind Turbines

Jim Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his policy is on the support of wind turbine deployers seeking planning consent in consultative statements issued by Defence Estates of district councils as part of the planning consent issue process.

Lewis Moonie: The Ministry of Defence has a policy to assess each wind farm proposal on a case-by-case basis. We have an agreement with the wind energy industry that enables Defence Estates Safeguarding section to receive details of wind farms from individual companies some time prior to them applying for formal planning permission.
	If the developer subsequently proceeds to seek formal planning permission from the local planning authority (LPA) and the site lies outside a formally safeguarded area then there is no statutory obligation on the authority to consult Defence Estates although most do so. In cases where the MOD does object to a proposal and the developer continues with the project then Defence Estates would seek to be formally consulted by the local authority.
	As with all planning application consultations, Defence Estates Safeguarding strives to meet the response deadlines imposed by the planning process. Where we are unable to meet the deadline because the assessment is still being undertaken the LPA are advised to wait for our reply before consent is given. This action ensures that development does not occur that will either cause a safety hazard to military activity or interfere with the ability to train effectively.

Antonov Aircraft

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Antonov cargo planes are on charter to the RAF; how long those charters will last and what their total cost is; for what reason chartering Antonov is necessary; what assessment he has made of the possibility of using C-17s; and if he will make a statement about RAF transport requirements.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 17 January 2002
	Eleven Antonov aircraft sorties have been flown to date in support of UK force deployments to Afghanistan. Six further sorties have been contracted. 4 million has been spent to date.
	The nature of airfields available in Afghanistan, together with the threat presented by surface-to-air missiles (SAM) had limited the RAF to the use of Hercules transport aircraft, which are fitted with a defensive aids suite. While the Hercules is a versatile and capable aircraft, the Antonov has a far greater payload, and has enabled the more rapid deployment of equipment, since the company operating the Antonovs has not restricted their use, even with the SAM threat.
	A review of the threat to aircraft, and the re-opening of Kabul International airport, is likely to mean that use of the RAF's C-17 aircraft will soon be possible. However, the demanding timetable for the operation in Afghanistan is likely to mean that further Antonov charter will be required.

Berthing Capacity

Gary Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what criteria he is using in the review of berthing capacity at Her Majesty's naval bases.

Adam Ingram: The aim of the study into berthing capacity at Her Majesty's naval bases is to define the future policy for base porting and the required waterfront infrastructure to support maritime and joint operations. The criteria that will be used for the study include the following:
	(a) Any current base porting and waterfront infrastructure limitations that constrain the support of maritime and joint operations.
	(b) The waterfront infrastructure capacity required to support future maritime and joint operations. Taking into account that the next generation of warships including, the future aircraft carriers, Type 45 Destroyers, amphibious ships and ASTUTE class submarines are all significantly larger than their predecessors.
	(c) Apart from the larger dimensions of future vessels, a number of other considerations need to be taken into account, including increased use of naval harbours by commercial operators, the implications for personnel, the delivery of operational sea training, the need to accommodate visiting vessels from NATO and other nations, conventional weapons handling safety regulations, environmental impact and future berthing policy for Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels. A large number of longer-term factors, including the consequences of various initiatives such as the Navy's TOPMAST project (Tomorrow's Personnel Management System), warship support modernisation, contractor logistic support and reliability centred maintenance will require further detailed consideration during the course of the work.

Berthing Capacity

Gary Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will decide the outcome of his Department's review of berthing capacities at Her Majesty's naval bases.

Adam Ingram: The study into berthing capacity at Her Majesty's naval bases is due in the summer of 2002. Decisions on base porting will be informed by this study.

Pensions

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will estimate the cost to the armed forces pension scheme of providing pensions, at a rate of one half the serving members' pension, to widows and widowers of personnel who retired before 1 April 1973.

Adam Ingram: The Armed Forces Pension Scheme (AFPS) increased the rate of widows' and widowers' pension from one third of the members pension to one half, from 31 March 1973. Individuals serving on or after this date were provided with the opportunity to make additional contributions so as to qualify former service for the half rate of widows' pension. On this basis, it would be difficult, in equity, to extend the half rate pension to widows whose husbands had left the service before that date and who had not, as a result, contributed financially towards the improvement. It has also been the long- standing policy of successive Governments that discretionary changes to improve the benefits offered by public service pension schemes should be implemented for future service only.
	We do not know exactly how many people would be affected by such a change, but we estimate the cost for the Armed Forces Pension Scheme to be 2530 million per year. The cost would be substantially higher if the improvement were extended to other public service pension schemes.

Pensions

Desmond Swayne: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will estimate the cost to the Armed Forces Pension Scheme of entitling servicemen and women who retired before 31 March 1973 to buy-in to the scheme's improved benefits in respect of providing widows and widowers a full half pension.

Adam Ingram: As such a change would be on a buy-in basis, we would expect the cost of extending the half rate pensions to pre-1973 widows and widowers to be covered by contributions. The Ministry of Defence would incur administration costs but these would be relatively small. However, such changes have been ruled out by the long-standing policy of successive Governments that scheme improvements should not be retrospective.

UN Military Staff College

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the status is of the proposed UN military staff college for the training of peace keepers; and if he will propose using the Scottish Centre for Nonviolence as its location.

Adam Ingram: holding answer 11 January 2002
	The UK's approach to providing support to UN training is through a flexible programme of training aimed at enhancing multinational co-operation and interoperability, and strengthening the integrated civil-military approach to peace support operations. This is achieved through conferences, seminars and workshops, expanding places on, or reorientating, existing courses and the development of bespoke UN courses. This is being carried out very successfully throughout locations within the UK and abroad. While a dedicated UN military staff college remains a possibility, we are not currently pursuing the establishment of one.

Eagle-Picher

Paul Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the accuracy of bombs dropped on Afghanistan with batteries produced by Eagle-Picher; and if he will make a statement.

Adam Ingram: Eagle-Picher batteries are used in US munitions, and this is therefore a matter for them.

Search and Rescue Squadron

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will ensure that waterproof helmet-fitted radios are made available for Royal Air Force Search and Rescue Squadron winchmen.

Adam Ingram: Subject to a satisfactory outcome of current trials, a helmet-radio assembly for RAF Search and Rescue winchmen will come into service this summer. A fully integrated and waterproof helmet-radio is scheduled to be introduced next year. This will permit full radio and intercom voice communications between the helicopter crew and the winchman.

Search and Rescue Squadron

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many winchmen serve with the Royal Air Force Search and Rescue Squadron.

Adam Ingram: There are currently 49 Search and Rescue winchmen within the Royal Air Force.

US Trident Submarines

Alan Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions his Department has had with its counterparts in Washington concerning US plans to convert two of its fleet of Trident submarines to conventional use.

Adam Ingram: We have not taken part in any formal discussions.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Fraud

Menzies Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what estimate her Department has made of the cost to its budget since 1 May 1997 of fraud; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: The available information is given in the table:
	
		 
		
			  199798 199899 19992000 200001 
		
		
			 DCMS(6) 1,909 0 0 0 
			 Royal Parks Agency 0 0 0 0 
			 Historic Royal Palaces Agency(7) 13,600
			 Non-departmental Public Bodies 152,183 178,894 1,978 23,272 
		
	
	(6) Net of amounts recovered
	(7) Historic Royal Palaces Agency became an non-departmental public body on 1 April 1998

Film Council

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many full-length feature films the Film Council has financially supported in each year since its creation; what the total income for each of those films is; what estimate the Film Council has made of each film's total audience; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: The Film Council has directly or indirectly financially supported a total of 58 feature length films to date since its creation. Of these, 15 were directly funded from the Film Council Lottery funds which became operational in October 2000. The remainder were funded through the pre-existing Lottery film franchises or through the interim arrangements with the film production activities of its predecessor bodiesthe Arts Council of England (through Lottery funding) and British Screen Ltd. (through grant in aid funding).
	The total cash received by the Film Council to 31 December 2001 against the 58 titles is 2,091,739. A film is normally expected to generate income over several years and the income received to date against these titles is therefore only a small part of the expected return on investment.
	The Film Council does not produce estimates of total audience for individual films. A film's earning potential spans a number of international markets or countries and a range of media platforms (including cinema, video, DVD, and television) and it is therefore unrealistic to attempt to estimate total audience.

Film Council

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much money the Film Council received from lottery funds in the last financial year; what amount the Film Council allocated in the last financial year; what amount the Film Council allocated and paid out in the last financial year; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: The Film Council was allocated 31.474 million in income from the National Lottery Distribution Fund during the 200001 financial year. The Film Council allocated 33.82 million of lottery funding to projects and paid out 20.003 million in the same year.

Lost/Stolen Property

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport if she will list those items valued at more than 50 which have been stolen or lost from her Department in each of the last four years.

Kim Howells: Items stolen from the Department over the last four years are as follows: a laptop computer (1998), three personal computer base units and one personal computer monitor (2001). As required each incident was reported immediately on discovery as a security breach.

Refurbishment

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what her estimate is of the cost of buildings refurbishment carried out by her Department in each of the last four years.

Kim Howells: The Department has needed to relocate some divisions during the last four years and refurbishment has been necessary in those cases in preference to higher rental costs for property offered by developers. In 1999 the Government Art Collection was rehoused at a cost of 144,000. In 2000 the cost of moving towards a single roof solution for the Department was 615,000 and improving facilities in 2000 and 2001 was at a cost of 375,000 and 648,000 respectively.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Benefit Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the cost in (a) 200001 and (b) 200102 of the (i) Integrated Enquiry Service, (ii) Shared Fraud Hotline, (iii) local authority departmental information teams and (iv) overpayment recoveries in respect of housing benefit.

Malcolm Wicks: These initiatives made up the housing benefit improvement programme, the purpose of which was to contribute to improving housing benefit and council tax benefit administration. During the life of the programme, strong links were established with local authority managers and staff that will continue to develop as the recommendations from the programme are taken forward. These relationships have contributed to a greater understanding of the local authority information requirements, and the introduction of a standard set of procedures that will help deliver improvements to the recovery of housing benefit and council tax benefit overpayments.
	The information on costs is in the table:
	
		Housing benefit improvement programme expenditure -- 
		
			  200001(8) 200102 
		
		
			 Integrated Enquiry Service 557,000 (9)309,000 
			 Shared Fraud Hotline 78,000 (9)57,000 
			 Local Authority/Benefits Agency Information Flow Project 24,000 0 
			 Housing Benefit Overpayment Recovery Project 64,000 (9)819,000 
		
	
	(8) Outturn
	(9) Forecast
	Note:
	Figures are rounded to nearest 1,000
	Source:
	Housing Benefit Improvement Programme budget

Mental Health

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what research the Government have conducted on the health impact on mental health service users of the implementation of his Department's benefits policies.

Nick Brown: A major goal of the Government are to help those people who are sick or disabled who can work to do so, while providing security for those who cannot work. This group includes people with mental health problems, whether they use mental health services or not. The Department for Work and Pensions consults with service users to ensure that relevant research informs new ideas and policy implementation.
	The Office for National Statistics published a report on the Psychiatric Morbidity of Adults carried out on behalf of the Department of Health on 18 December. The main aim of the survey was to estimate the prevalence of psychiatric morbidity among adults aged 16 to 74 living in private households in Great Britain. The survey report also examines the use of services associated with mental disorder and considers the characteristicsincluding economic activityof people with mental disorder.
	A longitudinal follow up to that survey is planned for 2002 and aims to estimate the duration of mental health problems. The study will also involve some follow-up work on use of services.

Departmental Sickness Absence

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will commission and publish an independent report on the reasons for the level of sickness absence in his Department.

Ian McCartney: We have no plans to publish an independent report on the reasons for absence in the Department.
	The Cabinet Office already commissions and publishes an independent annual report covering all Government Departments; Analysis of Sickness Absence in the Civil Service. This report includes details of the causes of absenteeism in my Department.
	The report for the year 2000, will be published shortly.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Electricity

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when she expects to respond to the consultation on the impact of NETA on small generators.

Brian Wilson: The Government are analysing and considering responses to their consultation carefully. The Department of Trade and Industry will be issuing a response shortly.

Departmental Expenditure

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to her answer of 17 December 2001, Official Report, column 473W, on departmental expenditure, what estimate she has made of the savings produced by refinancing; over what period of time she expects these to be realised and under which vote; and if she will make a statement.

Patricia Hewitt: The refinancing programme to date is estimated to generate 75 million of savings. The majority of the savings will be realised over the next five years, but will continue until 2018.
	The relevant vote is the Export Credits Guarantee Department Request for Resources 1.

Former Miners

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations (a) she and (b) her Department has received on allowing former miners, who were sacked in the 1980s, access to their pension funds.

Brian Wilson: None. All former British Coal miners when reaching pensionable age, whether dismissed or not, have access to the pension benefits they have accrued while in employment.
	I announced on 11 December 2001, Official Report, columns 75960W, that certain miners dismissed during the 198485 strike would receive an enhancement to their pension in recognition of the years of further service they lost as a result of British Coal's decision not to re-employ them.

Environmental Reports

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many (a) multinational companies with bases in Scotland and (b) Scottish companies had published environmental reports by 31 December 2001.

Brian Wilson: While the Government are keen to encourage companies to report, it is not mandatory to do so. There is, therefore, no central register of which companies report.

Renewable Energy

Andrew Stunell: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the total level was of Government financial support to the renewable energy sector in each year between 1980 and 1990 broken down by (a) research grants, (b) non-fossil fuel levy and (c) other sources.

Brian Wilson: Main Government financial support for the renewable energy sector between 1980 and 1990 was in the form of research grants from the then Department of Energy's New and Renewable Energy Research and Development Programme. Programme spend was as follows:
	
		
			   million 
		
		
			 198081 11.1 
			 198182 17.3 
			 198283 14.1 
			 198384 11.3 
			 198485 14.1 
			 198586 12.7 
			 198687 11.6 
			 198788 14.3 
			 198889 15.3 
			 198990 17.2 
			 199091 20.4 
		
	
	During these years, the Government may also have funded some other relevant research projects managed by the research councils, but to identify these projects now would be difficult and would involve disproportionate cost.
	The Non Fossil Fuel Obligation and the Fossil Fuel Levy supporting it were introduced in financial year 199091. In 199091, levy support for renewable energy was 6.1 million. I am not aware of funding for renewable energy from other Government sources from 1980 to 1990.

Renewable Energy

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the projects and institutions benefiting from the Lottery money announced by the Government in March 2001 for research into renewable energy projects.

Brian Wilson: holding answer 15 January 2002
	Funding from the Lottery is being directed especially towards the development of the offshore wind energy and energy crops industries. The offshore wind energy scheme is now open for applications and we are presently working up the details of the energy crops scheme. No funds have yet been awarded under either scheme.

Wind Turbines

Jim Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  how much she has allocated for grant aid to farmers in siting small scale wind power generators on their land; and how much has been issued under this grant scheme to date;
	(2)  what steps are being taken in support of farmers in the siting of wind turbines as a vehicle for agricultural diversification.

Brian Wilson: The Government believe that the financial incentive provided by the Renewables Obligation and exemption from the climate change levy will be sufficient to bring forward new onshore wind projects without the requirement for further financial support from Government.
	The Renewables Obligation will succeed the Non-Fossil Fuel Obligation (NFFO). Between 1990 and 1998 302 wind projects were awarded NFFO contracts, of which 74 had commissioned by 30 September 2001. The Electricity from Non-Fossil Fuel Sources (Locational Flexibility) Order 2001 which was made in December will enable a number of those projects which have yet to commission to come forward and a number of these are likely to be on agricultural land.
	I was pleased to launch on 28 August 2001 an innovative new service, operated by National Wind Power Ltd., to help farmers and landowners to develop small wind energy projects typically comprising one, two or three turbines. The WindWorks package has been developed to provide farmers with the financial rewards associated with ownership of a wind energy project while avoiding exposure of farmers and landowners to new financial risks at a time when great uncertainty exists in the farming industry and rural economy. More detail on WindWorks can be found at: http://www.natwindpower.co.uk/ windworks/index.htm.

NETA

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures she has taken to help intermittent suppliers adversely affected by NETA.

Brian Wilson: holding answer 15 January 2002
	On 1 November 2001 I published a consultation document in response to Ofgem's reports on NETA and its impact on smaller generators, including intermittent generators. Consultation closed on 1 December and follow-up work to analyse responses and take appropriate action is now under way. On 20 December I announced the formation of a working group to look at obstacles to consolidation under NETA, and to report to DTI by 31 January 2002. Many of the issues raised and considered in the consultation document, and by the working group, apply to the demand side, including intermittent suppliers. The Government will be publishing a response to their consultation shortly.

Nuclear Waste Storage

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment has been made of the ability of the UK's intermediate and high level nuclear waste storage facilities to withstand terrorist attack.

Brian Wilson: holding answer 15 January 2002
	The UK's civil nuclear sites apply stringent security measures regulated by the Office for Civil Nuclear Security (OCNS), the security regulator. The security regulator works closely with the Health and Safety Executive, the safety regulator, which provides advice on the safety implications of events, including external hazards such as plane crashes, at nuclear installations. Security and safety precautions at nuclear sites are kept under regular review. Both regulators are reviewing all relevant precautions in the light of the terrorist attacks in the USA on 11 September 2001. It is not Government policy to disclose details of security measures taken at civil nuclear sites.

Nuclear Waste Storage

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the (a) annual cost of maintaining the nuclear waste storage facilities at Sellafield and Dounreay and (b) the forecast for the annual running and maintenance costs over the next 50 years.

Brian Wilson: holding answer 15 January 2002
	I am advised by UKAEA and BNFL that the current total annual cost of maintaining radioactive waste storage facilities at Dounreay is 12 million, and at Sellafield is 50 million, while the forecast total running and maintenance cost of radioactive waste storage facilities over the next 50 years at Dounreay is 450 million and at Sellafield is 1,100 million.
	All figures are at 200102 money values and include overheads.

Energy Charter Conference

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry who represented her Department at the Energy Charter Conference session on 17 December 2001.

Brian Wilson: Officials of the Department of Trade and Industry represented the United Kingdom at this meeting.

BAE

Nigel Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions she has had with BAE concerning the future of the plant at Broughton.

Brian Wilson: Airbus UK owns the plant at Broughton and another site at Filton, where all the wings for Airbus aircraft are developed and manufactured. The Department remains in close touch with the company and with BAE Systems, which is a 20 per cent. shareholder in the Airbus company. UK work on Airbus programmes, including at Broughton, was covered in recent discussions between BAE Systems and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and also in discussions which I had recently with Airbus UK and Airbus in Toulouse.

TREASURY

Public Expenditure

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of each public expenditure programme was cash-limited in each of the years from 199293 to 200102.

Andrew Smith: Information on the cash limits and total spending for each Department is available in the following documents.
	
		
			 Year  Spending plans Final cash limits and DELs  
		
		
			 199293 Cm 1920 Tables 3.3 and B1 Cm 2273 Tables 1 and 2 
			 199394 Cm 2219 Tables 3.3 and B1 Cm 2617 Tables 1 and 2 
			 199495 Cm 2519 Tables 2.1 and 2.2 Cm 2903 Tables 2 and 3 
			 199596 Cm 2821 Tables 2.1 and 2.2 Cm 3318 Tables 2 and 3 
			 199697 Cm 3201 Tables 2.1 and 2.2 Cm 3696 Tables 2 and 3 
			 199798 Cm 3601 Tables 1.1 and 1.2 Cm 3988 Tables 2 and 3 
			 199899 Cm 3901 Tables 1.1 and 1.2 Cm 4416 Tables 2 and 3 
			 19992000 Cm 4201 Tables 1.2 and 1.3 Cm 4812 Table 1 
			 200001 Cm 4601 Tables 1.2 and 1.3 Cm 5243 Table 1 
			 200102 Cm 5101 Tables 1.1 and 1.2 HC 391 Table 1.4(10) 
		
	
	(10) Latest position

Public Expenditure

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of the gross domestic product he expects public expenditure to constitute in 200607.

Andrew Smith: Firm spending plans for 200607 will be set out in a future Spending Review. Paragraph B20 of the pre-Budget report (Cm 5318) explains the assumptions made in the Government's current fiscal projections.

Direct and Indirect Taxation

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the percentage change in upper tax income per income decile as a consequence of announced changes to direct and indirect taxation over the period 200203 to 200405.

Andrew Smith: There will be a reduction in income tax for a relatively small number of higher rate taxpayers with the increase in the children's tax credit to up to 20 a week for families in the year of a child's birth from April 2002. Apart from this, announced tax changes over the period 200202 to 200405 will have no impact on higher rate taxpayers.

Single Person's Allowance

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much in real terms the average annual tax payments of a person with no allowance and reliefs other than the single person's allowance earning (a) 10,000, (b) 20,000, (c) 30,000, (d) 50,000 and (e) 100,000 has changed since 199798.

Dawn Primarolo: The reduction in tax at 199798 prices for a taxpayer claiming only the personal allowance and earning the specified levels in 199798 and 200001 are shown in the table.
	
		 
		
			 Earnings Tax reduction at 199798 prices(11) 
		
		
			 10,000 271 
			 20,000 531 
			 30,000 792 
			 50,000 1,816 
			 100,000 3,276 
		
	
	(11) Deflated using RPI

Customs and Excise Forecasts

David Lidington: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy (a) to record the reasons for manual adjustments made by HM Customs and Excise to their modelled forecasts for alcohol receipts and (b) to make public those reasons.

Paul Boateng: Under Exemption 2 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information, it would be inappropriate to publish internal discussion and advice leading to the published alcohol revenue forecasts.

Pre-Budget Report

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the cost was of the publication and distribution of the 2001 pre-Budget report.

Andrew Smith: The net cost of printing and distributing the 2001 PBR was 56,000.

Aggregates Levy

Michael Weir: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which other countries in the European Union have introduced an aggregates levy; what discussions he has had with the finance Ministers of the European Union regarding a common aggregate levy; what the level of aggregates levy proposed in each of the countries of the European Union is; whether aggregates imported into the UK from other countries (a) in and (b) outside the European Union will be subject to the aggregate levy; what tonnage of aggregates has been imported into the United Kingdom from (i) the European Union and (ii) countries outside the European Union in each of the last five years; and whether added value aggregates products from outside the United Kingdom will be subject to the aggregate levy.

Paul Boateng: holding answer 14 January 2002
	The aggregates levy is designed to address the environmental effects of aggregate extraction in the UK and the rate was set to reflect these costs following independent research. Aggregate taxes in other EU member states are a matter for the individual states themselves. The known current position in the member states can be summarised as follows:
	Denmark0,67 euro/m 3
	France0.1 euro/tonne
	Spainno national tax but potential for regional taxation
	Italyregional taxation, typically 2 to 5 per cent. of value
	Sweden0.6 euro/tonne on sand and gravel only
	Austriaregional tax of approximately 0.15 euro/tonne
	Greece2 per cent. of value
	Netherlandsin the process of introducing a tax.
	Aggregates imported from other countries, whether in the EU or not, will be liable to the levy. The total tonnage of imported aggregate for each of the last five years for which data are available is as follows.
	
		Imports
		
			  Tonnes 
		
		
			 1994 2,166,211 
			 1995 1,942,602 
			 1996 642,581 
			 1997 502,381 
			 1998 822,087 
		
	
	Imported products made from aggregates are not themselves aggregates and so will not be subject to the levy.

Business Taxation

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to simplify business taxation.

Dawn Primarolo: A number of measures to simplify business taxation were contained in the Budget and pre- Budget reports, published in March 2001 and November respectively. Both these documents are available in the Library of the House.

Departmental PFI Contracts

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the proportion of PFI contracts made by his Department where an amount in excess of 90 per cent. of the capital value of the asset is recouped by the lessor out of the capital element of lease payments over the lifetime of the contract concerned; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Smith: No such estimate has been made. The existing PFI contracts in the Departments are for the provision of a service in return for a unitary payment, the payment of which is dependent on satisfactory performance. The unitary payment is not broken down into constituent parts.

Public Sector Pay

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the impact of the public pay review bodies' recommendations will be on the public spending limits of 200107.

Andrew Smith: Public spending plans are settled in the spending reviews, and are not amended by reference to the recommendations of the pay review bodies. It is normal practice for Departments to accommodate pay awards within public spending limits.

VAT

David Lidington: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what his policy is towards introducing reduced rates of VAT on organisations covered by category 14 of annexe H to the Sixth Directive.

Paul Boateng: holding answer 17 January 2002
	Not-for-profit welfare services provided by charities are already VAT exempt.

Drug Misuse

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list by Department the total amount allocated to tackling problems relating to drugs in each of the last 10 years.

Bob Ainsworth: I have been asked to reply.
	Information on resources is not available in the form requested.
	The Government have made available substantial resources for directly tackling the problem of drug misuse. A breakdown of funding allocated for the years 1995 to 2004 is as follows.
	The first United Kingdom drugs strategy, Tackling Drugs Together, was launched in May 1995 and allocated 8.8 million over three years to Drug Action Teams, 5.9 million on schools drug education for 199596, and 1 million in the same year for services to young people at an early stage of drug misuse.
	For the present strategy Tackling Drugs to Build a Better Britain, the 1998 Comprehensive Spending Review settlement provided an additional 217 million of resources for three years. The Spending Review 2000 (SR 2000) and the Budget 2001 provided further resources bringing total expenditure under the drugs strategy to nearly 1 billion by 200304see Table A.
	Furthermore, SR 2000 also supported a range of related programmessee Table Band following the Budget 2001, some additional investment was made, particularly to help Communities tackle drug misusesee Table C.
	
		Table A: 2000 Spending Reviewresources directly allocated for tackling drug abuses (by main aim of the national anti-drugs strategy)(12)
		
			  200001(13) 200102 200203 200304 
		
		
			 Drug treatment(14) 234 328 377 401 
			 Protecting young people 63 90 97 120 
			 Safeguarding communities 45 79 81 95 
			 Reducing availability(15) 353 373 376 380 
			  
			 Total 695 870 931 996 
		
	
	(12) Excludes devolved spending
	(13) Estimates of baseline spend in Departmental Expenditure Limits
	(14) Comprises mainstream spending by the Department of Health, local authorities and the pooled National Treatment Agency (NTA) budget. Excludes additional Prison Service treatment spend, brigaded under Communities
	(15) UK spend for 200102 to 200304 includes the anti-drugs share of the 90 million approved for combating organised crime
	
		Table B: 2000 Spending Reviewnew resources provided for related programmes(16)
		
			  200102 200203 200304 
		
		
			 Criminal Justice System 1,420 2,290 2,720 
			 Neighbourhood Renewal Fund 200 300 400 
			 Children's Fund 100 150 200 
			 Connexions(17) 77 177 (18) 
		
	
	(16) Excludes devolved spending
	(17) This was added to existing provision for the careers service. Funding will continue to go to the careers service in areas where Connexions is not yet running
	(18) Provision for 200304 will be announced in due course
	
		Table C: Budget 2001new resources for anti-drugs measures(19)
		
			  200102 200203 200304 
		
		
			 Strengthening communities 50 70 100 
			 Extending drug testing in the CJS 0 20 30 
			 Providing more help to find jobs 5 15 20 
			 Strengthening DATs 5 5 5 
			 Expanding Positive Futures 2 3 (20) 
		
	
	(19) Excludes devolved spending
	(20) Provision to be decided in the light of other sources of funding

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Home Energy Efficiency

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of (a) how much is invested annually into household energy efficiency and (b) how this money is spent.

Michael Meacher: The Government estimate that during 2000 (the most recent year for which figures are available) the total investment in household energy efficiency measures was approximately 250 million (excluding double glazing). The breakdown for the major items of this expenditure is:
	
		
			   million 
		
		
			 Loft insulation 90 
			 Cavity wall insulation 70 
			 Lighting 50 
			 Draught proofing 20 
			 Condensing boilers(21) 10 
			 Tank insulation 5 
		
	
	(21) This figure includes only the fraction of the total cost of the boiler assumed to represent the additional cost of the increased energy efficiency.
	Although installing double glazing in homes does increase the energy efficiency of the building it is rare that double glazing is installed for energy efficiency reasons alone. Hence, expenditure on double glazing is excluded from the figures. However, the Government estimate that the energy efficiency component of double glazing installations totals some 500 million p.a.

Home Heating

Anthony Steen: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she will install heating equipment at the house of Mrs. Anita Farrow of Ashburton, a constituent; and if she will make a statement on the reason for the delay.

Michael Meacher: holding answer 9 January 2002
	The Home Energy Efficiency Scheme (HEES), now marketed as The Warm Front Team, is administered in south-west England by the Eaga Partnership Ltd. Eaga advise that contractors are due to complete the work on Mrs. Farrow's property by the end of this month.
	The delay was mainly due to the original heating contractor declining to carry out the work after having agreed to do so. It took some time to locate an alternative contractor and resolve a shortage of suitable heating equipment.

Rural Regeneration

Charlotte Atkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what sources of (a) Government and (b) EU funding are available to (i) farmers, (ii) rural villages, (iii) rural businesses, (iv) local authorities, (v) parish councils and (vi) rural voluntary organisations to help regenerate rural economies.

Alun Michael: Many Government and European Union programmes contribute to the rural agenda.
	Through the Regional Development Agencies (RDAs) and the Countryside Agency we support the market towns programme which is intended to regenerate some 120 small rural towns as well as a range of support measures to rural businesses via the rural development programme and redundant building grant scheme.
	Through the Countryside Agency we support the Vital Villages programme which includes community service grants to support projects to maintain or introduce services which are local priorities; parish transport grants for small scale projects to meet local needs; parish plans grants to help 1,000 parishes draw up their own town or village plans to set out local needs and aspirations.
	The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is responsible for the following programmes which involve funding from the Government and from the European Community:
	The England Rural Development Programme (ERDP) under which the two main priority areas for funding are schemes to conserve and enhance the rural environment and schemes to enable farming, forestry and other rural businesses and communities to adapt to changing circumstances and to create a productive and sustainable rural economy.
	Objective 1 funding in certain areas (Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, Merseyside and South Yorkshire) to promote similar measures to the ERDP. Because these areas are defined by the Commission as being of greater need, the rates of grant are slightly higher.
	Leader+ Local Action Groups (which include farmers, rural villages, rural businesses, local authorities, parish councils and voluntary organisations) are helping to improve the quality of life and economic prosperity in their area through innovative approaches to sustainable rural development.
	A more extensive list of potential sources of funding and advice for rural businesses can be found in Annex 1 of the Rural White Paper, Our Countryside: the future, a fair deal for rural England published in November 2000. A report on our progress on implementation of the Rural White Paper was included in England's Rural Future, published on 12 December 2001, Official Report, column 920W.

Kyoto Protocol

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether she proposes an early ratification of the Kyoto protocol by the United Kingdom; and if she will make a statement

Michael Meacher: holding answer 16 January 2002
	For legal and presentational reasons, the UK will ratify the Kyoto protocol at the same time as the European Community and other member states. At the European Council on 31 October 2001, the EU stressed
	the Community's and its member states' resolve to complete their ratification procedures in time for timely ratification with a view to entry into force of the Kyoto protocol by the World Summit on Sustainable Development in 2002.
	The first step in the process is for the EC to ratify the protocol through the adoption of a Council Decision that will include further clarification on the arrangements for implementing the agreement between the EC and its member states in 1998 on sharing out the EC's -8 per cent. target. A Council Decision dealing with these issues is currently under discussion and is expected to be adopted at the next Environment Council on 4 March 2002.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Student Loans Company

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the administration costs of the Student Loans Company were in 200001; and what she expects them to be in 200102.

Margaret Hodge: The Student Loans Company's provisional outturn of administration costs in 200001 was 47.5 million (cash). The final figure will be included in the company's 200001 annual report which is expected to be published in mid-December 2002. Copies of this document will be placed in the Libraries of both of the Houses of Parliament.
	The planned administration expenditure for 200102 is 55 million.
	Both of these figures are provided on a UK basis, and include funding from the private sector to cover the administration of the two sold loan portfolios.

Higher Education Funding Council

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the administration costs of the Higher Education Funding Council for England were in 200001; and what she expects them to be in 200102.

Margaret Hodge: Provision for the administrative costs of the Higher Education Funding Council for England is 14.6 million in 200102 and 14.9 million in 200203.

Further Education Funding Council

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the administration costs of the Further Education Funding Council were in 200001; and what she expects them to be in 200101.

John Healey: We do not yet have final expenditure details for the Further Education Funding Council (FEFC) in 200001. Latest planned funding for the FEFC for administration was 27.4 million.
	The FEFC will not incur any administrative costs in 200102. From April 2001 the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) has taken over the majority of the functions previously carried out by the FEFC, as well as those of TECs.

Teacher Training Agency

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the administration costs of the Teacher Training Agency were in 200001; and what she expects them to be in 200102.

Stephen Timms: The administration costs of the Teacher Training Agency (TTA) in 200001, as published in the agency's annual financial statements, were 7.392 million. The TTA's current forecast administration costs for 200102 are around 7.85 million.

Qualifications and Curriculum Authority

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the administration costs of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority were in 200001; and what she expects them to be in 200102.

Ivan Lewis: The Qualifications and Curriculum Authority incurred administration costs in 200001 of 25,600,000, and expects to spend 28 million in 200102.

Investors in People

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the administration costs of Investors in People were in 200001; and what she expects them to be in 200102.

John Healey: In this financial year, Investors in People UK will receive grant in aid of 1.617 million. Up to 75 per cent. of this is used for running costse.g. staff/premises costs; the remainder is used to fund the development of the standard. In addition to this, the company has also received additional funding of 1.6 million from the Department for marketing purposes. Last year, IiP UK generated additional income of 3.7 million from their own operations, which was used to carry out development, quality assurance, and advice and guidance.

Exam Standards

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will publish the full report of the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority into the claims of Mr. Jeffrey Robinson about exam standards.

Ivan Lewis: QCA commissioned a full report from the awarding body OCR on Mr. Robinson's allegations. Although the OCR report is a confidential technical document and it is not QCA's practice to publish documents of this type, QCA's assessment of it has been published in the QCA website.

Civil Service Code

Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many complaints have been reported in her Department under paragraph 11 of the Civil Service Code since 13 May 1999; and how many of them related to special advisers.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 9 January 2002
	The procedures for making complaints under the Civil Service Code are set out in the Department's staff handbook. Civil servants are encouraged, in the first instance, to raise complaints made under paragraph 11 of the Civil Service Code with their line manager. If for any reason this is not felt to be possible, perhaps because the line manager is part of the complaint, individuals may take their complaint to a nominated official (or officials). It is not possible to provide a comprehensive figure for the number of complaints made within this Department under paragraph 11 of the code, as there is no requirement for managers to report centrally details of complaints made under the Civil Service Code which are resolved within the management line.

Early Education Places

Graham Brady: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what percentage of three-year-olds in Trafford are in receipt of a free early education place.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 11 January 2002
	We are committed to providing all three-year-olds, whose parents want one, with a free nursery education place by September 2004. We have recently announced details of the 275 million of funding we are making available to provide free early education places for three-year-olds in 200203. This funding has been initially allocated according to the position of an authority on the Government's Index of Multiple Deprivation. As a result, Trafford LEA has been allocated 335,000 of this funding to provide 275 free early education places.
	Estimates of the percentage of three-year-olds already provided with a place are used nationally for internal planning and monitoring. However, accurate local population figures are not available to the Department, although local authorities may choose to make their own estimates based on local data.

Speech Therapists

Peter Lilley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many speech therapists qualified for teaching children with special educational needs are in practice in each local education authority in England.

Ivan Lewis: This information is not collected centrally. Under the Standards Fund, grant support is available to local education authorities to help them enhance speech and language therapy services in conjunction with the NHS and voluntary sector. We have also supported the work of the charity I-CAN on creating a joint professional development framework for teachers and speech and language therapists, to be published shortly.

Ministerial Transport

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what her estimate is of the cost of (a) ministerial cars and drivers and (b) taxis for her Department in each of the last four years.

Ivan Lewis: Nick Matheson, Chief Executive of the Government Car and Despatch Agency (GCDA) which provides ministerial cars and drivers, will be writing separately in response to part (a) of this question.
	It is not possible, even at disproportionate cost, to provide an estimate of the cost of taxis used within my Department in each of the last four years.

Sixth Form Funding

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list those local education authorities in England which have indicated that they will be unable to meet the financial provisions for school sixth forms in 200203, as specified by the Learning and Skills Council; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The Learning and Skills Council has issued to LEAs and schools their provisional sixth form funding allocations for 200203. These allocations will be confirmed shortly. LEAs will be required to pass on all the money received for sixth forms to the schools.
	Because the way the LSC distributes the funds differs from that formerly used by LEAs, transitional issues have arisen for some authorities. We propose to deal with these by providing extra grant resources for 200203 for those authorities most significantly affected, and by allowing more flexibility in the way LEAs fund schools. A letter to this effect was sent to all LEAs on 7 December 2001 and copies have been placed in the Library.

Sixth Form Funding

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list, by local education authority in England, the amounts allocated for 200203 to schools with sixth forms, excluding funding for statemented special education needs, by the Learning and Skills Council according to the (a) terms of the Real Terms Guarantee, (b) Learning and Skills Council's methodology and (c) Learning and Skills Council's methodology as modified by the restriction of gains to 30 per cent. above the levels of the Real Terms Guarantee.

Ivan Lewis: This is principally a matter for the Learning and Skills Council. Their provisional school sixth form allocations were published on 14 December 2001 and are publicly available on the LSC's internet website in the form requested by the hon. Member at www.lsc.gov.uk. The allocations will be confirmed shortly.

Myalgic Encephalomyelitis

Julian Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what guidance she has given to local educational authorities to cater for the needs of children whose education is disrupted by ME.

Ivan Lewis: On 1 November 2001, the Department for Education and Skills jointly with the Department of Health published new statutory guidance, Access to Education for children and young people with medical needs. This guidance sets out minimum national standards for the education of children who are unable to attend school because of medical needs, and is applicable to children with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome/Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (CFS/ME).
	The Independent Working Group report on CFS/ME was published on 11 January 2002. The Government hope that publication of the report will result in improved awareness and understanding of this condition and lead to improved diagnosis, treatment and management. Advice is given in the report about the education of children and young people with CFS/ME.

Children's Rights Commissioner

Shaun Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what recent representations she has received on the establishment of a Children's Rights Commissioner.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 17 January 2002
	My Department has received two letters making representations about a Children's Rights Commissioner in England, one of which was forwarded by the Prime Minister's office.

Specialist Schools

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what her estimate is of the total expenditure on specialist schools in (a) England and (b) Somerset for each year from 199798 to 200304 (planned); and if she will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 17 January 2002
	Information on the actual and planned expenditure for specialist schools for (a) England and (b) Somerset for each year from 199798 to 200304 is provided if the table.
	
		
			 Financial Year England ( million) Somerset () 
		
		
			 199798 33.1 247,175 
			 199899 40.8 462,660 
			 19992000 47.4 523,972 
			 200001 71.9 815,716 
			 200102 94.0 885,063 
			 200203 (22)108.0 (23)957,063 
			 200304 (22)127.0 (23)957,063 
		
	
	(22) Estimates for 200203 and 200304 are baseline figures for those years based on targets of 1,000 specialist schools by 2003 and 1,500 by 2005.
	(23) Estimated expenditure on specialist schools in Somerset for 200203 and 200304 is based on current pupil numbers in schools already designated.

Specialist Schools

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schools have applied for specialist school status in each quarter since May 1997; how many of these schools were granted specialist status in each of these quarters; how many cluster bids have been accepted; and if she will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: The number of specialist school applications received in each competition since May 1997 and the number of schools designated in each round are shown in the table. A small number of associated applications have been discussed with officials but no applications which are part of these associated applications have yet been successful.
	
		
			  Competitions  
			  Schools applying Number of schools designated 
		
		
			 May 1997 40 8 
			 October 1997 107 32 
			 March 1998 122 51 
			 October 1998 67 43 
			 March 1999 52 37 
			 June 1999 95 44 
			 October 1999 68 37 
			 March 2000 117 59 
			 June 2000 115 34 
			 October 2000 106 39 
			 March 2001 154 79 
		
	
	Note:
	261 applications received in the October 2001 competition are currently being assessed.

Specialist Schools

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many schools will be granted specialist school status in the bidding rounds during 2002; what proportion this is of the total number of expected bids; and if she will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: It is difficult to estimate the number of bids we will receive this year but it is likely to be at least as many (both in March and October) as in the October 2001 competition, when 261 schools made applications. Our published target is to have at least 830 specialist schools by September 2002. There are 463 specialist schools at present.

Nurture Groups

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what plans she has to establish nurture groups in primary schools in order to give special assistance to young children with social and educational problems; and if she will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: The Government recognise the benefit that nurture groups can provide for disaffected young children or those with emotional behavioural and other difficulties (EBD).
	A number of LEAs and schools already use this approach for pupils with EBD. In June 2001, My Department published guidance on promoting children's mental health in early years and school settings, which includes the use of nurture groups as an effective early intervention strategy for young children in schools who have mental health difficulties. In co-operation with the Coram Foundation we will also be publishing guidance later this year on effective strategies for dealing with pupils with behavioural and other difficulties. This will include the use of nurture groups as one of a range of strategies primary schools might adopt. It is for individual schools to decide where it is appropriate for nurture groups to be used depending on the needs of the children and the school's circumstances.

Launchpad Status

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what criteria will be used in determining which schools are awarded launchpad status; and if she will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: The aim is to include a broad cross- section of primary and secondary schools from across the country, together with a small number of special schools since it is vital that lessons learned from the project have credibility and wide application. We shall be taking into account factors such as school size and location, as well as securing participant schools showing a range of pupil attainment and teacher turnover. We shall want to include schools which are already developing innovative practice and we also plan to ensure there is representation of some in challenging circumstances.

Student Poverty

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will publish information possessed by her Department which shows the proportion of students (a) on free school meals, (b) in families dependent on benefits, (c) considered to be from more deprived backgrounds as available indicators, in (i) specialist schools and (ii) non-specialist community and comprehensive schools; and if she will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: Information on the numbers and proportions of pupils eligible for a free school meal for specialist and non-specialist community and comprehensive schools is shown in the following table. Similar information on students in families dependent on benefits and considered to be from more deprived backgrounds is not available.
	
		
			  England 
		
		
			 Specialist secondary schools  
			 Number of day pupils 769,973 
			 Number of pupils eligible for FSM 112,865 
			 Percentage of pupils eligible for FSM 14.7 
			   
			 Other maintained secondary schools  
			 Number of day pupils 2,457,000 
			 Number of pupils eligible for FSM 396,811 
			 Percentage of pupils eligible for FSM 16.2 
		
	
	Source:
	Annual Schools Census (amended December 2001)

Schools' Reserves

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will make a statement on the level of schools' reserves; whether the present level of reserves is in excess of guidelines; and if she will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: At the end of the financial year 19992000, balances held by maintained schools in England amounted in total to approximately 723 million: this figure is derived from the outturn statements prepared by local education authorities under section 52 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998, and represents surpluses net of deficits.
	Prudent financial management will normally entail the retention by schools of reasonable reserves, whether on a contingency basis or by way of saving to meet large planned items of future expenditure. In view of the widely varying circumstances of individual schools, my right hon. Friend does not consider that the promulgation of specific guideline figures by the Department would be helpful. It is the responsibility of LEAs to monitor the level of balances in the schools which they maintain, and to challenge those schools whose balances appear, in all the circumstances, to be excessive. Where a school persistently retains a large balance for no clear reason, it is open to the LEA to consider whether delegation should be suspended under section 51 of the School Standards and Framework Act.

Teachers' Pay

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what the average starting salary is for newly qualified teachers in (a) London and (b) the rest of the UK; after how long a newly qualified teacher will receive a pay rise; and if she will make a statement on teachers' pay with special reference to rises they have had since 1997, and pay rises they will receive.

Stephen Timms: A newly qualified teacher in England and Wales with a second class honours degree or above currently starts at point two of the main scale on 17,001 pa. Others start on 16,038 pa. Schools may start teachers higher up the scale to recognise any other experience they consider relevant. Teachers working in inner London receive an extra 3,000 pa; those in outer London receive an extra 1,974 pa and those on the fringe receive an extra 765 pa. All teachers receive a pay increase in April of each year when the pay scales are revalorised. In the early part of their career, teachers will also receive an increment in September when, subject to satisfactory performance, they move up one point on the main qualified teachers' pay scale. Schools have discretion to advance excellent performers by two points in any year. Later in their career, any further pay advancement can be justified only by excellent performance or promotion.
	As a result of the performance threshold system and other pay improvements, good experienced teachers in England and Wales have received an extra 25 per cent. in pay since 1997. This is 17 per cent. in real terms. We have established a new upper pay spine for teachers with a maximum of 31,128. The maximum pay for the advanced skills teacher grade we have introduced is 44,571. Our school leaders can now earn up to 78,783.
	Teachers' pay in England and Wales is based on recommendations made by the independent School Teachers' Review Body (STRB). They are shortly due to publish their report detailing their recommendations for 200203. My right hon. Friend will consult key stakeholders before implementing any changes. Scotland and Northern Ireland are responsible for their own pay arrangements for their teachers.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Business Regulation

Vincent Cable: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many new regulations affecting business have been introduced since June 2001; and how many have been repealed.

Patricia Hewitt: I have been asked to reply.
	The Department has proposed 49 regulations to Parliament since June. Of these regulations, more than half were public telecommunications operator licences, amended or simplified regulations or preserved commercial electricity supply agreements.
	Records relating to repealed regulations are not held centrally. The information requested could be obtained and collated only at disproportionate cost.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Parades

Eddie McGrady: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the cost was of policing each parade in Kilkeel and Annalong between 1 April 2001 and 30 September 2001; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: There were 19 parades in Kilkeel and Annalong between 1 April 2001 and 30 September 2001. The cost of policing each parade is as follows:
	
		
			 Parade Date Cost () 
		
		
			 Rising Son of Valley 21 April 28,359 
			 Annalong Single Star 18 May 11,269 
			 Mourne LOL No. 6 27 May 436 
			 Pride of Balinaran 23 June 42,791 
			 St. Mary's GAC 1 July 269 
			 Ballymartin LOL 2 July 1,458 
			 Annalong 2 July 23,827 
			 Mourne LOL No. 6 8 July 269 
			 Apprentice/Schomberg 11 July 13,037 
			 Kilkeel District LOL 12 July 43,630 
			 Mourne Defenders 12 July 643 
			 Orange Hall Committee 28 July 16,403 
			 Mourne LOL No. 6 29 July 356 
			 Mourne Defenders 3 August 12,814 
			 Brunswick Accordion 10 August 14,954 
			 AOH 15 August 85,636 
			 Scrogg Road Community 19 August 1,106 
			 Mourne District RBC 19 August 1,106 
			 Mourne District RPB 25 August 2,192

Armed Theft (Belfast)

Crispin Blunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to the answer of 8 January 2002, Official Report, column 568W, to the hon. Member for Belfast, North (Mr. Dodds) on armed theft (Belfast), which Republican paramilitary groups the police believe were responsible.

Jane Kennedy: As I stated in my answer to the hon. Member for Belfast, North the police believe that those involved in the robberies had an association to republican paramilitary groups. It is not possible to attribute the robberies to any specific grouping.

Paramilitary Violence

David Trimble: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many (a) shootings, (b) bombings and (c) beatings there were in each of the last six months by (i) Republican paramilitaries purported to be on ceasefire, (ii) Republican paramilitaries not on ceasefire, (iii) Loyalist paramilitaries claiming to be on ceasefire and (iv) Loyalist paramilitaries not on ceasefire.

Jane Kennedy: The following tables provide the security statistics attributed to all Republican and Loyalist groupings. It is not possible to provide attribution by specific groups, purportedly on ceasefire or otherwise.
	
		Security situation statistics: July to December 2001number of deaths as a result of the security situation
		
			  By Loyalist By Republican Total 
		
		
			 July 2 0 2 
			 August 0 0 0 
			 September 1 0 1 
			 October 1 1 2 
			 November 1 0 1 
			 December 2 1 3 
			  
			 Total 7 2 9 
		
	
	
		Number of shooting incidents
		
			  By Loyalist By Republican Other N/K Total 
		
		
			 July 27 10 2 39 
			 August 8 12 4 24 
			 September 32 16 0 48 
			 October 20 7 1 28 
			 November 19 7 2 28 
			 December 13 4 3 20 
			  
			 Total 119 56 12 187 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The following types of incidents are included:
	Shots fired by terrorists
	Shots fired by the security forces
	Paramilitary-style attacks involved shootings
	Shots heard (and later confirmed)
	Other violent incidents where shots are fired (eg armed robbery).
	2. Statistics are provisional and may be subject to minor adjustment.
	
		Number of bombing incidents
		
			  By Loyalist By Republican Other N/K Total 
		
		
			 July 50 6 2 58 
			 August 28 8 3 39 
			 September 54 4 1 59 
			 October 41 2 5 48 
			 November 15 3 1 19 
			 December 5 1 1 7 
			  
			 Total 193 24 13 230 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. An individual bombing incident may involve one or more explosive devices. Incidents recorded include explosions and defusings. Incidents involving hoax devices, petrol bombings or incendiaries are excluded.
	2. Statistics are provisional and may be subject to minor adjustment.
	
		Number of casualties as a result of paramilitary style assaults
		
			  By Loyalist By Republican Total 
		
		
			 July 13 2 15 
			 August 3 2 5 
			 September 7 2 9 
			 October 6 3 9 
			 November 4 4 8 
			 December 8 2 10 
			  
			 Total 41 15 56 
		
	
	
		Number of casualties as a result of paramilitary style shootings
		
			  By Loyalist By Republican Total 
		
		
			 July 8 5 13 
			 August 10 11 21 
			 September 8 11 19 
			 October 10 2 12 
			 November 12 2 14 
			 December 7 4 11 
			  
			 Total 55 35 90 
		
	
	Note:
	Statistics are provisional and may be subject to minor adjustment.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Newspaper Advertising

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the expenditure of his (a) Department, (b) agencies and (c) non-departmental public bodies on newspaper advertising by title in each year since 1997.

Denis MacShane: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Twickenham (Dr. Cable) on 19 November 2001, Official Report, column 24W.
	The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, its executive non-departmental public bodies and executive agency have routinely advertised in the domestic press for recruitment purposes. Other than that, expenditure incurred was:
	200102: 2,650Metro (London), The Voice, Time Out 1
	200001: 8,589Metro (London) 2
	19992000: Nil
	199899: Nil
	199798: Nil.
	1 Promoting the Know Before You Go consular campaign.
	2 Publicising an FCO open day.
	In addition, the British Council has advertised for such activities as teacher exchanges, language assistants and conference promotion. Accurate figures by year are not available. But from 1997 to 2001 the total expenditure was 16,400. The expenditure from April 2001 to date is 6,565. The titles used were The Times Educational Supplement (mainly) and The Guardian newspaper.

Correspondence

Teddy Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he intends to reply to the letter of 12 September 2001 from the hon. Member for Rochford and Southend, East about Heathrow airport.

Ben Bradshaw: holding answer 17 January 2002
	Unfortunately the letter dated 12 September 2001 from the hon. Member for Rochford and Southend, East about Heathrow airport was lost. Officials have requested a further copy. A reply will be sent as soon as possible.

Christian Minorities

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what help his Department offers other Governments who are in the process of drafting new laws in the areas of (a) religious freedom and (b) cults to ensure that there is no discrimination against Christian minorities.

Peter Hain: Promotion of human rights is at the heart of our foreign policy and we regard freedom of thought, conscience and religion as very important human rights. We condemn instances where individuals are persecuted because of their faith or belief, wherever it happens and whatever the religion of the individual or group concerned.
	We take every opportunity, often working with our EU partners, to urge states to pursue laws and practices which foster tolerance and mutual respect and to protect religious minorities against discrimination, intimidation and attacks. Where necessary, we remind Governments of the need to comply with their international obligations and to uphold freedom of religion.
	We also support, including through financial assistance, the work of the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe and its Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights which, inter alia, offer technical assistance on legislation. For example, in 2001, their advisory panel of Experts on Freedom of Religion helped develop a package for Armenian schools on religious tolerance, prepared a draft law on the Status of Religious Associations in Bosnia-Herzegovina, and expanded a website to gather and identify examples of legislative best practice on Freedom of Religion.

LORD CHANCELLOR

Legal Profession (Ethics)

Graham Allen: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what recent discussions the Lord Chancellor has had with the Home Secretary arising from his recent speech about the ethics of the legal profession; and if he will make a statement.

Michael Wills: My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary and the Lord Chancellor have regular meetings on a wide range of matters. As with previous Governments it is not the practice to provide details of confidential discussions.

Lay Magistrates (Essex)

Bob Spink: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what initiatives are planned to recruit more lay magistrates in Essex.

Michael Wills: The Lord Chancellor's Advisory Committee for Essex undertakes a range of recruitment activities each year to attract people from across the community to become magistrates. Last year initiatives included adverts in the local press, contacting local trade unions, the Regional Employers Organisation, local ethnic minority groups and the Racial Equality Council, sending them leaflets and offering to give presentations, circulating leaflets and posters to local libraries. This year it plans to continue issuing leaflets to local organisations and include an advert on free street maps, as well as placing adverts in the local press.

HEALTH

IT Systems

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the SNOMED system for recording clinical details for all patient activity in other countries.

Hazel Blears: The use of the SNOMED system produced by the College of American Pathologists, and in particular SNOMED RT, has been assessed in other countries. The clinical details that it contained were weak in the area of primary care. However, because the Clinical Terms Version 3 (Read Codes) produced by the national health service were strong in the area of primary care the opportunity to have a collaborative project between the NHS and the College of American Pathologists was seized. The combined product, SNOMED CT (Clinical Terms) will contain over 400,000 clinical terms. Other countries and healthcare organisations who have SNOMED RT systems will be upgrading their systems to SNOMED CT when it has been tested and released.

Social Workers

Hywel Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many social workers were employed in (a) England and (b) Wales in each of the last 10 years.

Jacqui Smith: The whole-time equivalent number of social work staff employed by local authorities in England during the past 10 years is:
	
		Whole-time equivalent(24) 
		
			 Year (as at 30 September) Social work staff 
		
		
			 1991 25,538 
			 1992 26,510 
			 1993 28,333 
			 1994 30,357 
			 1995 31,925 
			 1996 32,140 
			 1997 32,990 
			 1998 33,432 
			 1999 33,912 
			 2000 34,692 
		
	
	(24) Including team leaders/assistant team leaders and (from 1993) care managers.
	Social work staff includes team leaders, assistant team leaders and (from 1993) care managers, as well as social workers. The Department does not collect just the number of social workers.
	Information for Wales is a matter for the devolved Assembly.

Midwifery

Kerry Pollard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to increase the number of midwife-led birthing units for low risk births; and if he will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: There are a number of different ways of providing good quality woman-centred midwifery care including care in midwife-led birthing units for low risk births. It is a matter for local health authorities and national health service trusts to decide on the pattern of service provision taking into account the needs of local people, evidence of effectiveness and available resources. The Maternity Workforce Group is looking at alternative models of care.

NHS Information Authority

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he will take to address staff turnover within the NHS Information Authority.

Hazel Blears: The National Health Service Information Authority had a turnover during the last 12 months of 11.36 per cent. This is compared with a 23 per cent. increase in its staff over the same period. Therefore the overall staffing position was growth.
	Over the past two years the authority has rationalised its offices from 23 to 11. This has invariably caused a need to relocate some staff from one site to another. However, very few staff with key technical skills left the authority because of this. The vast majority supported all staff through this process with appropriate actionsflexible working; home relocation arrangements; teleworking and transport services.
	Significant effort has also been put into the development of a full induction process for new staff joining the authority to ensure, wherever they are located, that they gain an understanding of the purpose, nature and culture of the authority as quickly as possible.

NHS Dentists (Dorset)

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients in Dorset were registered with an NHS dentist in April (a) 1990, (b) 1995 and (c) 2000.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 21 November 2001
	The number of general dental service registrations in Dorset health authority is shown in the table at 30 April for the years 1995 and 2000. There were no registrations in April 1990; registrations were introduced in October 1990.
	
		
			 April Children Adults Total 
		
		
			 1995 100,015 325,207 425,222 
			 2000 102,704 274,611 377,315 
		
	
	The figures for 1995 and 2000 cannot be compared. Registration rates were reduced by the shortening of the registration period for new registrations from 1996. For adults the period fell from 24 to 15 months. Children's registrations used to lapse at the end of the end of the following calendar year; they now last for 24 months.

NHS Dentists (Dorset)

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dentists in Dorset are taking new adult NHS patients; and how many were taking new adult NHS patients in April 1990.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 21 November 2001
	Almost 66 general dental service dentists in Dorset are estimated to be taking on new adult patients. This is an estimate for August and is based on the number of dentists whose new registrations in August exceeded a minimum level.
	Information for April 1990 about dentists taking on new patients is not available.

Teenage Pregnancy

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what policies have followed fulfilment of the Public Service Agreement target to complete and publish reports on teenage pregnancy for 16 to 18-year-olds not in education.

Yvette Cooper: There is no Public Service Agreement to complete and publish reports on teenage pregnancy for 16 to 18-year-olds not in education.
	Our teenage pregnancy strategy aims to help more teenage parents into education, training or employment. 20 Sure Start Plus pilots are under way, providing personal support for pregnant teenagers and teenage parents on health, education, benefits and housing issues. Nine further pilots are testing how best to provide for child care for teenage parents, to help them access education or work. Teenage parents are also eligible for the education maintenance allowance in areas where this is being piloted, two of which (Cornwall and Stoke) are testing additional flexibilities to meet the needs of teenage parents, including a longer period of eligibility for the allowance. Every local area in England has in place a 10-year multi-agency strategy to tackle teenage pregnancy, including action to improve support for teenage parents. Between 1997 and 2001, the percentage of teenage mothers aged between 16 and 19 in education, training or employment increased from 16 per cent. to 29 per cent.

Aspergillus Fumigatus Infection

Doug Naysmith: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what plans there are to increase funding available for research into Aspergillus fumigatus infection;
	(2)  what steps are being taken to fund research into (a) the prevention of and (b) diseases contracted via Aspergillus fumigatus infection.

Yvette Cooper: The Department is not funding specific research into the prevention and treatment of Aspergillus fumigatus infections.
	The main Government agency for research into the causes of, and treatments for, disease is the Medical Research Council (MRC) which receives its funding via the Department of Trade and Industry. The Department of Health funds research to support policy and the delivery of effective practice in the national health service.
	The Department of Health provides support for research commissioned by charities and the research councils that takes place in the NHS. Details of on-going and recently completed research projects are available on the National Research Register (NRR) at www.doh.gov.uk/research/ nrr.htm.
	There are two on-going projects regarding Aspergillus infection:
	Genome sequencing of Aspergillus fumigatus, supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease
	Transcriptional Regulation of Chitinase Expression in Aspergillus fumigatus and the identification of novel targets for antifungal drugs supported by the Wellcome Trust.
	The NRR also details 14 completed projects related to Aspergillus fumigatus, one of which was directly supported through the Department of Health's North West Regional Research Programme on DNA fingerprinting of Aspergillus.
	The Public Health Laboratory Service, which receives funding from the Department of Health, recently reviewed all reports of Aspergillus infection between 1990 and 1999. Their findings were reported in the Journal of Epidemiology and Infection 2001, Volume 126, at pages 397 to 414.
	The Department has no plans to increase funding available for research into Aspergillus fumigatus infection.
	The Department keeps its priorities for research under review. Priorities for departmental research for the development of the policy are determined through discussion with policy colleagues, the Departmental Research Committee and Ministers. In the NHS, priorities are identified through widespread consultation with those using, delivering and managing services. They take account of the burden of disease, potential benefits and departmental objectives, as well as the responsibilities and work of other funders.

Drugs

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will break down by (a) interventions and (b) drugs for clinical condition and tumour type, the money announced on 5 December; and how many patients will be treated in each category.

Yvette Cooper: The revenue allocations announced on 6 December represent the latest stage in the Government's programme of sustained investment and reform in the national health service set out in the NHS Plan last year. There is only limited earmarking of funds within allocations so that the NHS locally can flexibly manage all the resources available. This means it is not possible to break down the allocations by interventions or by drugs.
	76 million will be earmarked for cancer services in 200203 to ensure that investment gets through to the front line to be spent on the priorities identified by doctors, nurses and other frontline staff. The priorities for action in 200203 on cancer were set out in the Priorities and Planning Framework published on 6 December.

Solihull Hospital

John Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a further statement on the future of accident and emergency provisions at Solihull hospital.

Yvette Cooper: The service review of the accident and emergency department at Solihull hospital is continuing.
	The Service Review Group will report to Solihull health authority on its recommendations, with a view to the health authority then launching a public consultation on its preferred option. The review was originally due to report back by the end September, but this has now been extended until early this year.

Food Supplements

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the implications of omission from the proposed Annexe to the Food Supplements Directive on the future availability of products currently on sale in the UK.

Yvette Cooper: The implications of omission of substances currently used in products sold on the United Kingdom market from the proposed lists depend on future developments in updating these lists. The proposed directive would establish a seven year transitional period during which member states could allow continued use of all these substances. The annexes would then be amended to include additional substances cleared by the European Union Scientific Committee on Foods.

MMR Vaccine

Julie Kirkbride: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with (a) drug companies and (b) medical organisations on MMR-C; and what plans he has to introduce MMR-C into England and Wales.

Yvette Cooper: None.

MMR Vaccine

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of eligible children in Cheshire have been vaccinated with the MMR vaccine in (a) 200102, (b) 200001 and (c) 19992000; and if he will fund a public campaign to promote the use of the MMR vaccine throughout the north-west of England.

Yvette Cooper: The percentage of children in Cheshire immunised against measles, mumps and rubella by their second birthday and fifth birthday is shown in the table. An England wide MMR information campaign was launched last summer, which provided a range of new material for parents and health professionals including posters, factsheets, videos and leaflets. The materials were also launched onto the national immunisation website www.immunisation.org.uk. The aim of this campaign is to meet parents wishes for clear, factual and accurate information about MMR.
	
		Percentage of children immunised against MMR
		
			   By their fifth birthday(25)  
			 At 31 March By their second birthday First dose First and second dose 
		
		
			 North Cheshire
			 1999 90   
			 2000 90 92 72 
			 2001 88 92 75 
			 
			 South Cheshire
			 1999 89   
			 2000 88 90 65 
			 2001 89 90 72 
		
	
	(25) Information about uptake of MMR immunisation at age five was collected for the first time in 19992000
	Source:
	Department of Health, Statistics Division SD2B

Cancer Nurses

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cancer nurse specialists there were in each year since 1997, broken down by type of cancer.

Yvette Cooper: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Cancer-related Illnesses

Gregory Barker: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients treated for cancer-related illnesses within the last 12 months were prescribed courses of treatment (a) approved and (b) awaiting approval by NICE.

Yvette Cooper: Over the last 12 months the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) have published appraisals on the use of new chemotherapy drugs to treat ovarian, brain, pancreatic, lung and breast cancers as well as leukaemia. Around 19,000 patients each year should now be benefiting from chemotherapy treatments appraised by NICE.
	NICE is currently appraising further treatments for advanced ovarian, breast and colorectal cancers and chronic myeloid leukaemia.

Smoking Helpline

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have called the smoking helpline since it was set up.

Yvette Cooper: holding answer 8 January 2002
	A total of 325,698 people have called the national health service smoking helpline in the inclusive period 1 June 2000 to 2 December 2001.

Smoking Helpline

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people are employed on the smoking helpline; and at what cost.

Yvette Cooper: holding answer 8 January 2001
	A total of 213 staff, including 49 specialist advisers, are trained to work on the helpline services. The precise numbers engaged at any given time depends upon predicted call volumes.
	The overall budget for the specialist adviser staff in 200102 is 285,000. Calls dealt with by the non- specialist service are charged on a per call basis with a budget ceiling of 239,000.

Smoking Helpline

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much the smoking helpline cost to set up.

Yvette Cooper: holding answer 8 January 2002
	Set up costs of the national health service smoking helpline amounted to 37,420.

Media Injunctions

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much his Department has spent in legal fees in each of the last five years in relation to obtaining injunctions against media organisations.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 8 January 2002
	The Department has incurred no legal costs in relation to obtaining injunctions because we have not sought any injunctions against the media in the last five years.

Bed Blocking

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many of the patients awaiting discharge in inappropriately occupied beds in Worcestershire hospitals will have their future care packages funded by (a) the health authority, (b) the county social services department and (c) a combination of both; what the equivalent figures were in January 2001; and if he will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: Funding arrangements for the number of patients awaiting discharge in inappropriately occupied beds in Worcestershire hospitals 200001 are as follows.
	
		
			  December 2000 December 2001 
		
		
			 Health authority funded placements 11 19 
			 Social Services funded placements 9 11 
			 Jointly funded placements 9 5 
		
	
	Note:
	The data for each year come from two different sources. The 2001 figures have been taken from the weekly SITREPs, and the 2000 figures have been taken from the 200001 Q3 CIC return. Both sets of figures cover the last day in December. The monthly figure is a snapshot for that day, the weekly figure is a snapshot for the week ending 31 December.
	We are investing an extra 900 million in intermediate care to ensure that we can free up acute hospital beds which are being occupied by older people who could be cared for at home or elsewhere, which in turn will speed up accident and emergency admissions. The NHS Plan clearly states that by 2004 we will end widespread bed blocking. To achieve this we have a target of 5,000 extra intermediate care beds and an additional 1,700 non-residential intermediate care places by 200304, with 220,000 more people receiving intermediate care services.
	I am advised that Worcestershire county council's allocation of 713,000 from the Government's Cash for Change initiative will be used to fund additional residential and nursing home placements, a home care discharge scheme and one off payments to support independent sector homes cost pressures. In addition, Worcestershire health authority received an extra 382,000 in April 2001 to help them prepare for winter pressures.

Kidderminster Hospital

Richard Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will review the arrangements for the alternative storage of the deceased following the closure of the mortuary at Kidderminster hospital; and if he will make a statement on the implications for costs to families.

Yvette Cooper: I am informed that the coroner, local funeral directors and the Kidderminster and district community health council have been involved in the planning of alternative arrangements for the storage and removal of the bodies of deceased patients from Kidderminster hospital.
	Where the family have already decided upon a funeral director, then arrangements will go ahead as planned. In those cases where a decision has yet to be made, then arrangements have been made with a local funeral directors company for appropriate storage of the deceased, at no cost to the family, until a decision is reached.
	The trust has confirmed that it sees as a priority the need to maintain a service which treats the deceased with respect and dignity, and which is compassionate in the manner in which it relates to the members of their family.

Haemophilia

Mark Todd: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent representations he has received concerning the availability of recombinant clotting factors to haemophilia patients in England; and if he will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: Departmental officials discussed the availability of recombinant clotting factors with the Haemophilia Society on 30 November 2001.
	We are actively considering extending the provision of recombinant clotting factors to all haemophilia patients in England when supplies allow. Currently the policy is to provide recombinant clotting factors for new haemophilia patients and children under 16.

Haemophilia

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the health authorities and trusts in England which provide recombinant clotting factors to haemophiliac patients aged over 16 years.

Yvette Cooper: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Tuberculosis

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of human TB there have been in the United Kingdom since 1995, broken down by year and county.

Yvette Cooper: The number of reported cases of human tuberculosis in the United Kingdom from 1995 to 2000 is shown in the table.
	
		
			  1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000(26) 
		
		
			 Northern and Yorkshire 624 605 617 642 611 573 
			 Trent 520 544 484 498 497 456 
			 Eastern 267 260 232 268 228 273 
			 London 2,024 2,190 2,411 2,444 2,493 2,643 
			 South East 484 457 483 503 495 527 
			 South West 202 201 212 213 209 228 
			 West Midlands 654 655 610 673 712 734 
			 North West 633 581 615 674 693 623 
			 Wales 180 161 195 172 205 174 
			 Scotland 478 509 433 464 497 406 
			 Northern Ireland 90 75 75 61 61 58 
			  
			 Total 6,174 6,238 6,367 6,612 6,701 6,695 
		
	
	(26) Provisional

Herceptin

Alan Hurst: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  when he expects to receive the findings of NICE regarding the use of the drug Herceptin as treatment for breast cancer; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  which health authorities in England and Wales have authorised the use of the drug Herceptin as treatment for breast cancer within the national health service.

Yvette Cooper: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and the National Assembly for Wales have asked the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) to appraise Herceptin for the treatment of advanced breast cancer, and to issue guidance on its use to the NHS in England and Wales. NICE expects to issue guidance on Herceptin in spring 2002.
	Data on the number of health authorities in England and Wales currently authorising the use of Herceptin is not collected. However, as with all newly licensed treatments in advance of a NICE appraisal, the Department's advice is that funding authorities should consider the clinical evidence available for a specific treatment before making any decision.

Explosion (Sandhurst)

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the health of residents in Sandhurst, Gloucestershire, following the explosion at Cleansing Services Group Ltd.; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 11 January 2002
	Gloucestershire health authority has monitored the health of the residents of Sandhurst following the fire at Cleansing Services Group in October 2000.
	The authority has found that the physical and/or psychological health of a significant proportion of Sandhurst residents was affected following the fire. The majority of physical symptoms experienced resolved within four weeks although a small number of people reported continuing physical symptoms seven months after the incident. The health authority has established a study to monitor the long-term effects of the incident on the community.

GP Surgeries (North Stoke)

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the areas of unmet needs in respect of access to GP surgeries in North Stoke.

Yvette Cooper: There are 17 general practitioner practices in the locality, and I understand that capacity exists to accept more patients.
	In addition, Stoke (Haywood) walk-in centre opened in June 2000 and has proved popular locally, seeing 21,000 patients in the first 12 months.

Private Finance Initiative (West Midlands)

David Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many health-related PFI proceeds are (a) under way and (b) being evaluated in the west midlands; and where they are located.

Yvette Cooper: the current private finance initiative schemes that are (a) under way and (b) being evaluated in the west midlands are as follows:
	PFI schemes commissioned
	Sedgley Community Centre (Dudley)
	Black Country Mental Health in-patient facility (Sandwell)
	Stoke-on-Trent Mental Health in-patient facility (Stoke-on-Trent)
	Monyhull Learning Disability in-patient facility (South Birmingham) PFI schemes in build
	Hereford District General Hospital
	Worcester District General Hospital
	Northern Birmingham Mental Health in-patient facility
	Dudley District General Hospital PFI schemes in procurement
	Walsgrave District General Hospital and Mental Health in-patient facility (Coventry)
	City Hospital Ambulatory Care Centre (Birmingham)
	Wolverhampton Managed Radiology scheme Nationally prioritised schemes in fourth and fifth waves (preparing business cases and planning to place OJEC advertisements in 200203)
	University Hospital Birmingham Acute Hospital and South Birmingham Mental Health in-patient facility
	North Staffordshire redevelopment of Acute Hospital site and North Stoke Primary Care Centre (Stoke-on-Trent)
	Walsall Women's and Children's Unit and Ambulatory Care Centre
	Wolverhampton Acute Hospital site rationalisation.

Community Pharmacists

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what further plans he has to review the fees paid to community pharmacists for dispensing NHS prescriptions.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 14 January 2002
	We are currently considering representations on this issue from the Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee and others.

Hospital Investment (Shropshire)

David Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of hospital investment in the last five years in Shropshire has been allocated to the hospitals in (a) Telford, (b) Shrewsbury and (c) Oswestry.

Yvette Cooper: The total capital allocations to the three national health service trusts in Shropshire during the four-year period 199899 to 200102 are shown in the table.
	
		
			   million Percentage 
		
		
			 Telford (Princess Royal Hospital NHS Trust) 10.9 37 
			 Shrewsbury (Royal Shrewsbury Hospital NHS Trust) 11.7 40 
			 Oswestry (Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust) 6.6 23 
			  
			 Total 29.2 100 
		
	
	Note:
	The information requested is only available for the last four financial years (199899 to 200102 inclusive).

Cancer Patients

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what percentage of patients in each cancer speciality referred by their general practitioners are referred (a) urgently and (b) non-urgently;
	(2)  how many patients in each cancer specialty were referred by their general practitioners, (a) urgently and (b) non-urgently, in the last year for which figures are available;
	(3)  what percentage of patients in each cancer speciality referred to by their general practitioners as (a) urgent and (b) non-urgent are seen within a month.

Yvette Cooper: The two-week out-patient waiting time standard was introduced for urgent cases of suspected breast cancer from April 1999 and was extended to all other urgent cases of suspected cancer during 2000. Performance data against the standard are shown in the table. Data for non-urgent referrals are not collected centrally.
	Full implementation of the maximum target wait of one month from diagnosis to their first definitive treatment for breast cancer was introduced on 31 December 2001. Central monitoring began on 1 January 2002 and data will be published later in the year.
	
		'Two week wait' performance: Percentage of patients seen within two weeks for first consultant out-patient appointment when referred urgently by their GP for suspected cancer, and the referral is received by the NHS trust within 24 hours: England
		
			  200001  
			  Quarter 3 Quarter 4  
			 Cancer site Number of referrals Number seen within 14 days Percentage seen within 14 days Number of referrals Number seen within 14 days Percentage seen within 14 days 
		
		
			 Breast 20,540 19,697 95.9 20,356 19,513 95.9 
			 Children's (27) (27) (27) 127 125 98.4 
			 Lung (27) (27) (27) 4,359 4,141 95.0 
			 Haematological malignancies including leukaemia (27) (27) (27) 557 529 95.0 
			 Upper Gastrointestinal (27) (27) (27) 5,429 4,990 91.9 
			 Lower Gastrointestinal (27) (27) (27) 9,458 8,723 92.2 
			 Skin (27) (27) (27) 5,906 5,499 93.1 
			 Gynaecological (27) (27) (27) 3,722 3,441 92.5 
			 Brain/Central Nervous System (27) (27) (27) 185 169 91.4 
			 Urological (27) (27) (27) 4,714 4,034 85.6 
			 Head and Neck (27) (27) (27) 2,613 2,524 96.6 
			 Sarcomas (27) (27) (27) 122 114 93.4 
			 Other Cancers (27) (27) (27) 234 222 94.9 
		
	
	(27) Not collected
	
		
			  200102  
			  Quarter 1 Quarter 2  
			 Cancer site Number of referrals Number seen within 14 days Percentage seen within 14 days Number of referrals Number seen within 14 days Percentage seen within 14 days 
		
		
			 Breast 21,918 21,001 95.8 23,039 21,624 93,9 
			 Children's 107 107 100.0 105 102 97.1 
			 Lung 4,328 4,028 93.1 4,217 3,991 94.6 
			 Haematological malignancies including leukaemia 537 507 94.4 650 625 96.2 
			 Upper Gastrointestinal 5,775 5,296 91.7 6,604 6,041 91.5 
			 Lower Gastrointestinal 10,562 9,468 89.6 12,235 10,975 89.7 
			 Skin 8,419 7,690 91.3 10,314 9,120 88.4 
			 Gynaecological 4,400 4,035 91.7 5,423 4,960 91.5 
			 Brain/Central Nervous System 199 180 90.5 260 241 92.7 
			 Urological 5,185 4,444 85.7 6,596 5,573 84.5 
			 Head and Neck 3,452 3,212 93.0 4,169 3,936 94.4 
			 Sarcomas 138 130 94.2 139 125 89.9 
			 Other Cancers 378 360 95.2 353 337 95.5 
		
	
	Source:
	Department of Health form QMCW

Heart Disease

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the death rate per 100,000 among people aged under 65 years due to heart disease was in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Yvette Cooper: The European age standardised death rates per 100,000 population from ischaemic heart disease aged under 65 in the United Kingdom is shown in the table.
	
		
			 Year Persons 
		
		
			 1996 41.7 
			 1997 39.2 
			 1998 37.3 
			 1999 34.1 
			 2000 32.1

Children's Hospices

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding was given to each children's hospice in the last year by his Department.

Yvette Cooper: The information requested is not collected centrally.

Small Bowel Transplantation

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress has been made on developing and extending the availability of small bowel transplantation.

Yvette Cooper: We recognise this is a very important national service and good progress has been made in making it available to those who might benefit from the procedure. Both adult and paediatric small bowel transplantation services have been designated by the National Specialist Commissioning Advisory Group and national centres identified since April 1997.
	No transplants were performed before this date. In the case of children, 14 transplants have now been performed. In the case of adults, a number of patients have been assessed but to date transplantation has not been the preferred option for their care.

Aggregates Levy

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what provision he has made in his hospital building programme for additional costs resulting from the aggregates levy.

John Hutton: holding answer 14 January 2002
	Any additional costs arising from the levy may be factored into bidders proposals under both the private finance initiative and public capital procurement routes. Such bids will continue to be assessed on a case-by-case basis by individual national health service trusts on the grounds of meeting service need, affordability and value for money.

NHS Appointments

Richard Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list appointments to chairs of NHS trusts made by the NHS Appointments Commissioner for the west midlands.

Yvette Cooper: The chair appointments made by the National Health Service Appointments Commission to NHS trusts in the west midlands are as follows:
	
		
			 Chair appointment NHS trust 
		
		
			 Professor Margaret Bamford Dudley Priority Health 
			 Mr. Charles Goody Coventry Healthcare 
			 Mr. Bryan Knight Sandwell Healthcare 
			 Mr. Francis McCarney George Eliot Hospital 
			 Mr. Michael O'Riorden Worcestershire Acute Hospitals 
			 Dr. Bransby Thomas South Warwickshire Combined Care 
			 Mr. Clive Wilkinson Birmingham Heartlands and Solihull (Teaching) 
			 Sir Bernard Zissman Good Hope Hospital

BCG Vaccination

Jenny Tonge: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his future policy is for BCG vaccination; and if he will make a statement on the availability of the vaccine.

Yvette Cooper: Our recommendation for the use of BCG vaccine is based on the advice of an independent expert advisory committee, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, which is regularly reviewed.
	BCG vaccine is readily available to all those recommended to receive it. These include:
	Health service staff who may have come in contact with infectious patients or their specimens.
	Veterinary or other staff who handle animal species known to be susceptible to tuberculosis.
	Staff of prisons, old people's homes, refugee hostels and hostels for the homeless.
	Contacts of cases known to be suffering from active pulmonary tuberculosis.
	Immigrants from countries with a high prevalence of TB, their children and infants wherever born.
	Those intending to stay in Asia, Africa, central or south America for more than a month.
	School children between the ages of 10 and 14 years.
	This policy is set out in the booklet Immunisation against Infectious Disease 1996.

Alternative Blood Therapies

Dai Havard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the appropriate use of blood working group will publish its report on the use of alternative blood therapies in place of transfusing blood.

Yvette Cooper: holding answer 15 January 2002
	The National Blood Service appropriate use of blood group is currently gathering evidence on alternatives to blood, bloodless surgery and autologous blood transfusion. Proposed guidance material will be considered by the Chief Medical Officer's National Blood Transfusion Committee later this year. It is anticipated that the guidance will be promulgated through regional and local hospital blood transfusion committees.

Avon/Gloucestershire and Wiltshire Health Authority

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to make an announcement on the appointment of a chief executive for the new Avon/ Gloucestershire and Wiltshire health authority; and for what reason it has not been possible to make that appointment already.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 15 January 2002
	The appointment of Mr. Mark Outhwaite as chief executive was announced on 14 January. It was not possible to complete the process of making appointments to all 28 strategic health authorities before Christmas and the intervening holiday period inevitable imposed a delay. Now that the appointment has been made, work on setting up the new health authority and preparing it for its role will go ahead at the same speed as other areas.

Sodium Consumption

John Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the Food Standards Agency's position is on the acceptable level of daily sodium intake for the general population; on what evidence the Food Standards Agency bases its policy on dietary salt consumption; and what recent advice the Food Standards Agency has given Ministers regarding the recommended daily sodium consumption.

Yvette Cooper: The Food Standards Agency's advice on salt is that individuals should reduce their intake to 6 grammes per day (equivalent to 2.3 grammes of sodium). This is based on the recommendations made by the expert committee on Medical Aspects of Food Policy.

Sodium Consumption

John Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what public awareness campaigns the Food Standards Agency is undertaking to reduce daily human consumption of salt; how the Food Standards Agency communicates its recommended daily intake of sodium to the public; and what media outlets the Food Standards Agency uses to highlight its policy on salt and its recommended daily intake of sodium.

Yvette Cooper: Advice to the general public on levels of salt intake is covered as an integral part of Food Standards Agency activity to provide information on a healthy balanced diet generally. This is done through a variety of routes which include FSA publications, the FSA website, and advice to the food industry on the nutritional labelling of foods.

Breast Cancer

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy that women who have suffered pre-menopausal breast cancer will be subject to automatic recall under the NHS breast cancer screening programme.

Yvette Cooper: National guidelines 1 state that women who have been treated for breast cancer should undergo mammography yearly during the first five years after surgery, and every two years afterwards, regardless of age. The national health service breast screening programme invites women aged 50 to 64 for mammography every three years, to be extended to the age of 70 by 2004. It is for a woman's clinical team to decide whether she enters the breast screening programme at age 50 or if she is monitored outside the programme.
	1 Improving Outcomes in Breast Cancer: The Manual (July 1996). This is being updated for publication in 2002.

NHS Complaints Procedure

John Horam: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will alter the NHS complaints procedure so that independent review bodies can investigate a complaint relating to more than one NHS body.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 15 January 2002
	We are currently in the process of reforming the national health service complaints procedure and as part of that we are considering how best a second, independent review element of the procedure might work.

Food Allergies

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research has been conducted into the underlying causes of food allergies to commonly available ingredients, with particular reference to (a) wheat, (b) dairy products and (c) nuts.

Yvette Cooper: The Food Standards Agency is currently spending 800,000 a year on research into food allergy. This research focuses both on the occurrence of food allergies and the mechanisms underlying the reactions with emphasis on severe allergy, in particular peanut and tree-nut allergies. The FSA currently funds 12 research projects on peanut allergy (the main cause of food allergy related deaths in the United Kingdom) and one on dairy products. The FSA does not currently fund any research into wheat allergy, although the research on mechanisms may be of relevance. Further detail on the food allergy research programme can be obtained from the FSA research programmes annual report 19992000 which has been placed in the Library.

NHS Trusts (Worcestershire)

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the chairmanship of the South Worcestershire Primary Care Trust will be announced; and if he will make a statement.

Yvette Cooper: holding answer 17 January 2002
	Proposals for the establishment of the South Worcestershire Primary Care Trust are still being considered. A decision will be announced as soon as possible.

vCJD

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have died from vCJD since August 1990; and how many were vegetarian.

Yvette Cooper: Up to 7 January 2002 there have been 104 deaths from variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (VCJD) within the United Kingdom. Four out of the 104 were vegetarians during some period of their lives but none were lifelong vegetarians.

EU Health Council

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which representatives briefed his Department on devolved Scottish matters in preparation for the EU Health Council in Brussels on 15 November; and on what issues.

Yvette Cooper: Scotland's interests were represented at the November Health Council by the United Kingdom delegation led by the Minister of State for Health (Mr. Hutton), who represented all parts of the United Kingdom. There are regular communications between the Department of Health and the Scottish Executive on European Union health matters, but specific discussions are conducted on a confidential basis.

Correspondence

Edward Garnier: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will answer the letter dated 30 July 2001 from the hon. and learned Member for Harborough concerning a constituent child protection social worker suspended by Leicester city social services department.

Jacqui Smith: We have transferred the letter to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions and he will be responding shortly.

Nurses

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the starting annual salary is for newly qualified nurses in and (a) London (b) the rest of the UK; after how long a newly qualified nurse will receive a pay rise; and if he will make a statement on nurses' pay, with special reference to rises they have had since 1997, and pay rises they will receive.

John Hutton: The annual starting salary for a newly qualified nurse working full-time in inner London is 19,178 (including London allowance and cost of living supplements). For staff working outside London and the south of England the annual starting salary for a newly qualified nurse working full-time is 15,445.
	Newly qualified nurses normally enter the clinical grading structure on the first pay point on Grade D with annual progression through a further three points until they reach the scale maximum.
	We accepted in full the recommendation of the Review Body for nursing staff, midwives and health visitors and professions allied to medicine for pay in 200203. From 1 April 2002 all nurses, midwives and health visitors will receive an increase of at least 3.6 per cent. Pay has increased across the board for all nurses by at least 26 per cent. in cash terms since 1997.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Immigration and Nationality Directorate

Andrew Love: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the (a) budgeted, (b) actual and (c) projected expenditure by the Immigration and Nationality Directorate in each year from 1995 to the end of the current comprehensive spending review period; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: The following sums have been allocated to and spent by the Home Office Immigration and Nationality Directorate since 199495.
	
		 million 
		
			  Budgeted Actual expenditure 
		
		
			 199495 186 187 
			 199596 207 202 
			 199697 223 216 
			 199798 226 207 
			 199899 223 214 
			 19992000 794 857 
			 200001 1,199 1,251 
			 200102 976  
			 200203 990  
			 200304 1,045  
		
	
	Figures include capital expenditure and are in cash terms until 200001 and resource terms thereafter.
	A significant portion of the overall budget from 19992000 onwards relates to asylum support. Up to 199899, the budgets were assigned to and expenditure incurred by the Department of Social Security and the Department of Health and not by the Immigration and Nationality Directorate. The sums spent are set down in a reply given by the then Home Secretary, my right hon. Friend the Member for Blackburn (Mr. Straw) to the hon. Member for Ribble Valley (Mr. Evans) on 9 May 2000, Official Report, column 331W.The budgets for this year and for the two following years are provisional and may be amended following the conclusion of on-going discussions with Her Majesty's Treasury.
	I shall write to my hon. Friend when I have additional information on the budget and projected expenditure for this year.

Immigration and Nationality Directorate

Nigel Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  if the Immigration and Nationality Directorate is meeting its target for granting applications for indefinite leave to remain in the United Kingdom as a spouse; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  if the Immigration and Nationality Directorate is meeting its target for granting applications for extensions to visas to study in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: We aim to decide 70 per cent. of all new general and settlement applications within three weeks but at present it is taking up to eight weeks to consider new straightforward applications. The reasons for this are (i) the exceptionally high number of new applications received this year, and especially, in recent months; and (ii) process changes that are being introduced. We are working to reduce this to three weeks or less as soon as possible. Because of the high intake, those cases which require more detailed consideration are currently taking six months or a little more to complete.

Immigration and Nationality Directorate

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on levels of employment at the Immigration and Nationality Directorate at Croydon.

Angela Eagle: holding answer 14 January 2002
	At March 1999, an estimate of the full-time equivalent figure for the number of staff employed in the Immigration and Nationality Directorate in Croydon was 1,920. On 1 October 2001, this figure had risen to 3,940. This includes staff dealing with immigration casework as well as those who work in a support function.

European Arrest Warrant

Gwyneth Dunwoody: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will announce the date on which legislation to introduce extradition under the European arrest warrant will be introduced.

Bob Ainsworth: We have made our commitment to an Extradition Bill clear and measures will be brought before the House in the usual way.

European Arrest Warrant

William Cash: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the criteria for determining the competent authorities in each of the EU member states as to who are to be their issuing and executing judicial authorities in respect of Article 6 of the Council Framework Decision relating to the European arrest warrant.

Bob Ainsworth: The Framework Decision on the European arrest warrant and the surrender procedures between member states stipulates at Article 1(1) that
	the European arrest warrant shall be a court decision.
	At Article 6(1) it further stipulates that:
	The issuing judicial authority shall be the judicial authority of the issuing state which is competent to issue an arrest warrant by virtue of the law of the issuing state; and at Article 6(2) that:
	The executing judicial authority shall be the judicial authority of the executing state which is competent by virtue of the law of the executing state.
	By this the Framework Decision makes clear that the issuing and executing authorities must be judicial authorities, but the criteria that the member states may apply to determine which of their judicial authorities shall be responsible for the issuing and execution of European arrest warrants are left to each member state to decide upon. This is consistent with Article 34.2(b) of the Treaty on European Union, under which the Framework Decision has been negotiated, which states that:
	Framework decisions shall be binding upon the member states as to the results to be achieved but shall leave to the national authorities the choice of the form and methods.

European Arrest Warrant

William Cash: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the offences in English law to which Article 2(2) of the Council Framework Decision relating to the European arrest warrant refers which are punishable under the law of an issuing member state by a sentence of three years and where dual criminality is not required.

Bob Ainsworth: The list at Article 2(2) is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all the serious criminal offences under the national law of all member states. To answer this question in full would require listing all the offences in English law which might fall under one of the generic headings of offences in Article 2(2) of the Council Framework Decision on the European arrest warrant, and which are punishable by a maximum sentence of at least three years, and cross-referring them to all the offences in the penal codes of the other member states of the European Union (EU) which fall under these headings which are punishable by this sentence. The generic headings listed at Article 2(2) relate to conduct for which there are criminal sanctions in all the member states of the EU, even if the legal definitions of the offences do not precisely match. On any warrant, the offence for which surrender is sought will be framed by the issuing judicial authority under its national law.
	Examples of such offences in English law, to which there is a likely equivalent in the law of other member states are: under the heading of illicit trafficking in narcotic drugs and psychotropic substancesdrug trafficking offences involving Class A or Class B drugs; under the heading of terrorismoffences under the Explosive Substances Act 1883 and offences under the Terrorism Act 2000 as amended by the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001; under the heading of raperape and serious sexual offences; under the heading of swindlingoffences under the Theft Acts 1968 and 1978 that carry a sentence of at least three years; and under the heading of racism and xenophobia, offences relating to incitement to racial hatred, racially aggravated offences and racial discrimination under the Race Relations Act, where a sentence of at least three years applies.

In-sourcing

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what work previously out-sourced from Government Departments to the private sector he plans to in-source back to Departments.

David Blunkett: Where provision of a service has been contracted out to a private company, any decision on future delivery will be based on value for money considerations, including performance and departmental requirements. We currently have no plans to bring back into the core Home Office any services which have been contracted out.

Credit Card Fraud

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many people were found guilty of credit card fraud in each of the past 10 years;
	(2)  what the cost was of credit card fraud in each of the past 10 years.

Keith Bradley: The Home Office Court Proceedings database is unable to distinguish offences of credit card fraud from other types of fraud as the circumstances of individual offences are not collected centrally.
	The following table shows the number of persons found guilty or cautioned for all offences of 'other fraud' (as distinct from fraud by a company director or false accounting) for the years 1991 to 2000:
	
		Persons found guilty or cautioned for 'other fraud' in England and Wales, 1991 to 2000
		
			  Number 
		
		
			 1991 22,775 
			 1992 23,429 
			 1993 21,178 
			 1994 21,035 
			 1995 19,807 
			 1996 19,394 
			 1997 19,442 
			 1998 21,760 
			 1999 22,191 
			 2000 20,904 
		
	
	Information on the cost of credit card fraud is not collated by the Home Office. However, the Association of Payment Clearing Services has estimated the cost of reported losses due to credit card fraud over the last five years as:
	
		
			   million 
		
		
			 1996 97.1 
			 1997 122.0 
			 1998 135.0 
			 1999 188.4 
			 2000 292.6 
		
	
	Source:
	APACS Fraud in Focus 2001

Work Permits

Lembit �pik: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans his Department has to change the rules governing the issuing of work permits to Lithuanian citizens; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: There is no differential between nationalities when considering a work permit application. The decision is determined by whether the application meets the criteria of the work permit arrangements.

Ministerial Travel

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last used the railway service in connection with his official duties; what station he left from and what was the destination; and whether it is his intention to make greater use of the railways in future.

David Blunkett: All arrangements for official travel are made in line with the guidance set out in Chapter 7 of the Ministerial Code, and the accompanying guidance document Travel by Ministers, using the most efficient and cost effective mode of transport, and bearing in mind security considerations. My last official visit by train was on 11 December last year to address the Balsall Health Forum in the west midlands. For this visit I returned to London by rail from Birmingham New Street to London Euston. I intend to continue using the railway for official travel whenever this is practical.
	I almost always travel to and from my constituency by rail, undertaking official duties in and around the area of Sheffield. The last official engagement on such a visit was on Friday 11 January.

Child Asylum Seekers

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the motivation of (a) child asylum seekers and (b) those who facilitate their journeys; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: holding answer 17 January 2002
	We have not assessed the motivation of child asylum seekers. All asylum applications, regardless of the applicant's age, will be considered in accordance with the criteria set out in the United Nations convention relating to the status of refugees.
	There is no common motivation for those facilitating child asylum seekers. Some will act altruistically, others to improve the economic or educational prospects of family members. But there are many whose motivation is profit and the involvement of organised people smuggling gangs is becoming increasingly common.

Visas

John Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information is given to applicants for a new student visa about the length of time that they may be without their passport.

Angela Eagle: Information about the likely time scale for considering applications for leave to remain is quoted in the relevant application form and on the Immigration and Nationality Directorate website. The website is updated regularly. Since 1 January 2002, all new applications for leave to remain are being acknowledged. The acknowledgement letter indicates the likely time scale for the application to be considered. If, on initial consideration, the application cannot be decided for whatever reason, another letter giving a further indication of the likely time scale is sent to the applicant.

Visas

John Gummer: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what standards of service he sets for processing individual applications for visa renewals;
	(2)  for what reasons the visa office estimate that the renewal of a one year student visa will take at least five weeks.

Angela Eagle: We aim to decide 70 per cent. of all new general and settlement applications within three weeks but at present it is taking up to eight weeks to consider new straightforward applications. The reasons for this are (i) the exceptionally high number of new applications received this year, and especially, in recent months; and (ii) process changes that are being introduced. We are working to reduce this to three weeks or less as soon as possible.

Passports

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the minimum period is within which a British passport holder can obtain an emergency replacement in the event of loss or theft; and what the minimum period was prior to 14 January.

Angela Eagle: On 14 January the Passport Service introduced two new guaranteed services at its public counters. These are a same day service at 75 for a standard passport and a one week service at 60 for a standard passport. The standard two week service (non-guaranteed) remains available for postal application. The same day service is not available for first passport applications because of the time needed to complete checks on identity. Applications to replace lost or stolen passports are dealt with in the same way as first applications, because the high incidence of fraud makes it necessary to check identity and records of the previous issue. This means that the fastest service normally available for replacement of a lost or stolen passport is the guaranteed one week service.
	Exceptionally, in the case of a genuine emergency involving travel for compassionate reasons or business purposes, a same day service can be provided. Prior to 14 January, services were not guaranteed and turnaround times would depend on factors such as the volume of applications being dealt with and the relative difficulty of establishing identity in the individual case. The change is intended to help customers by providing a choice of services with guarantees for those who need a fast service, while protecting the integrity of the British passport.

Passports

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions in each of the last five years the Passport Office Agency has paid compensation to its customers; and what was the total sum of such compensation.

Angela Eagle: The total number of compensation payments made to customers of the United Kingdom Passport Service over the last five years is given in the table together with the amounts for each year.
	
		
			   Number of payments Total amount of compensation () 
		
		
			 1997 1,557 42,303 
			 1998 2,086 60,610 
			 1999 5,142 344,984 
			 2000 2,478 110,306 
			 2001 2,193 71,955

Asylum Seekers

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to provide additional accommodation for asylum seekers in Essex; and in which towns.

Angela Eagle: It is current policy to disperse asylum seekers away from London and the south-east. In his statement on 29 October last year my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary made it clear that the policy of dispersing asylum seekers away from London and the south-east would continue. I can confirm that to date the Immigration and Nationality Directorate has not identified any areas in Essex suitable for use as cluster areas for the dispersal of asylum seekers.